Aussie state rejects calls for "pill-testing" following another dance party death in Sydney

Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-10 13:05:12|Editor: ZD
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SYDNEY, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Premier of New South Wales state of Australia hit out Monday at suggestions that "pill-testing" is a viable solution to reduce the number of overdoses at dance parties and rave festivals in the state.

"If we thought it would save a single life, of course we would go down that path," Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Monday.

"Unfortunately, what pill testing doesn't do is really take into account people's different physical attributes."

"What is safe for one person isn't safe for another."

Once again a huge topic amongst the Australian media landscape, the issue of "party drugs" at popular dance festivals has been brought back into focus after a 19-year-old man died from a suspected drug overdose in Sydney on Saturday.

According to local media, a further 130 of the 18,000 in people in attendance at the ill-fated Knockout Games of Destiny dance party also sought medical treatment during the rave, with 16 needing to be taken to hospital.

Three of which had to be placed into an induced coma.

With law enforcement and government regulators under heavy scrutiny, tough new laws were introduced back in October to combat the use of drugs at music festivals.

These measures include harsher sentencing for drug dealers and more stringent regulations for promoters.

The latest death takes the total number of suspected drug overdoses at Australian music festivals to at least 11 in the past five years.

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