'At Indie we welcome anything that will aid with harm reduction': Drug testing scheme to be rolled out at festivals

The organisers of Cork’s Indiependence have welcomed news that the HSE will roll out a drug testing regime at music festivals this year.

The HSE has announced that a drug checking scheme, which was piloted at Electric Picnic last October, will now be extended to other festivals.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Professor Eamon Keenan, who is the HSE’s national clinical lead for addiction services, said the new drug checking regime will begin at the Life Festival, which takes place in Mullingar this weekend.

It is part of the HSE’s drug harm-reduction campaign which is aimed at people attending music festivals across the country this summer.

At Electric Picnic last October, the pilot scheme detected high potency MDMA pills, powders and crystals and a new substance, 3-CMC.

The testing regime sees people encouraged to anonymously surrender drugs for testing.

Professor Keenan said drugs are becoming stronger and more dangerous, with stronger drugs bringing higher risk.

“What we’re seeing is higher potency substances. We mentioned the MDMA tablet from last summer but also the pills and powders are higher strength...Different types of drugs are taken at different events, he said.

Prof Keenan said that people who surrender drugs at festivals will not be at risk of being arrested.

“This is a health-led initiative. We want to get information to people who are at these events and there's no judgement of people.” 

Welcoming the news of the national roll-out of a drug testing regime for festivals, the organisers of Mitchelstown’s Indiependence festival praised the HSE’s recent work around drug harm-reduction and addiction services.

“The HSE have done phenomenal work here over the last couple of years, at Indie we welcome anything that will aid with harm reduction.

“We would all prefer if consumption of illegal substances didn’t happen but we have to be realistic about it, education and harm reduction have to go hand in hand with any prevention measures,” Indiependence’s organisers told The Echo.

Indiependence runs from Friday August 4 to Sunday August 6 at Deer Farm, Mitchelstown.