Queensland To Deliver First Ever Pill Testing At Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival

Queensland is set to introduce pill testing at the upcoming Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival for the first time this year.

This will be the first music festival to undergo the initiative in Queensland with the state government hoping it will reduce the risks and harms associated with illicit drug use.

Previously two party goers died at the festival in 2019 after being found with high levels drugs in their system.

Party pill testing a first for Queensland

The Queensland government will be investing nearly $1 million into the new pill testing initiative.

Party goers will be able to present their pills in a safe environment to a qualified chemist to test them for safety at this event based site, with an upcoming fixed site available soon.

The Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival has been chosen as the first event site to test the services.

“I am thrilled to be supporting new and innovative services to help reduce harms from illicit drug use” said Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Service Shannon Fentiman.

“In 2021, there were 2,231 drug-induced deaths in Australia – the equivalent of five deaths a day. That’s 2,231 deaths too many, and we know this number will continue to grow if we don’t act now.”

While some are critical about the initiative supporting the use of illicit drugs, the minister is adamant in her support for the program.

“I want to be clear that these services are all about harm minimisation; we don’t want people ending up in our emergency departments – or worse losing their life.

The move comes amid a range of consultation with stakeholders to deliver these services in the most safe and effective way.

“This marks an important milestone in the ongoing efforts of Queensland to reduce drug related harms, and we know the patrons of the festival and their families and friends will greatly appreciate the availability of this vital public health service” said a representative from Pill Testing Australia (PTA).

“PTA will work in close collaboration with the onsite health provider, as well as local harm reduction and peer support services and the wider team of event stakeholders, to deliver this new service in Queensland.”

Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival returns

The Rabbits Eat Lettuce music festival will return for the Easter long weekend to celebrate their fifteen year anniversary.

Taking place outside of Warwick in Queensland the event runs for four nights with camping and music on site.

Image: KTK PhotosWith the deaths of party goers Dassarn Tarbutt and Ebony Greening in 2019, organisers understand the importance of these services.

Festival organiser Erik Lamir welcomed the pill testing at this years event, emphasising the importance of education and safety within the process.

“They can talk to one of the scientists and wait while the substances are checked and then they’re given their results and talked through the potential harms of what might be in the substances,” he said.

Most importantly the information that is collected will be available to assist staff on site.

“Data from the drug samples will be shared with the festival’s medical staff” he affirmed.

“It means our paramedics and doctors will be able to have up-to-date data on what drugs might be circulating at the event.”

In a statement on Facebook event organisers reiterated the commitment to the upcoming initiative as they prepare for next weekends event.

Pill testing has previously been implemented at the Groovin The Moo event in Canberra where it was well received by attendees and organisers.