Pill testing is not an effective method for reducing deaths and hospitalizations resulting from drug and substance use. The idea that there is a safe dose when it comes to drugs is wrong because the substances are not manufacturing with adherence to the pharmaceutical standards (Drug Advisory Council of Australia, 2019). Additionally, the drugs have poisonous and unpredictable toxins that are hard to test and understand which dose can prove to be fatal.
Research shows that in Australia young people between the age of 18-27 are more likely to engage in drugs (Ritter, 2020). Music festivals, clubs, and dance parties are where 70% of the pills are consumed (Scott & Scott, 2020). Being aware of the content of the pills may not prevent a person from taking the drug (Groves, 2018). However, it may help the person understand the chemicals that make up the drug (Sammut & Craig, 2019). Therefore, pill testing is not an effective method for reducing deaths and hospitalizations caused by drug abuse.
Pill testing may be a way to push for the legalization of drugs. One of the reasons provided by pro pill testing activists is that pill testing will incentivize drug dealers to provide better products (Price & Munckton, 2018). This means accepting the use of drugs in society and working to make them safer for the people using them (Delfabbro et al., 2020). It also indicates that the people pushing for the idea want people to continue taking drugs as long as they do not die. Testing drugs would provide leeway for legislation favoring legalization to be approved. Criminal lawyers in Sidney are of the view that pill testing would provide more safety to buyers which can help reduce deaths resulting from drug use (Drug Advisory Council of Australia, 2019). Therefore, those pushing for the legalization of drugs point to pill testing as the main reason for the push.
References
Delfabbro, P. H McArdle, P., & King, D. L. (2020). Political and policy issues in adolescent addiction. In Adolescent Addiction (pp. 319-334). Academic Press. Web.
Drug Advisory Council of Australia. (2019). Subject: Pill testing- Russian roulette as drug policy. DACA Australia. Web.
Groves, A. (2018). ‘Worth the test? ‘Pragmatism, pill testing and drug policy in Australia. Harm Reduction Journal, 15(1), 1-13. Web.
Price, S., & Munckton, S. (2018). To minimize harm, drug prohibition must end. Green Left Weekly, (1179), 5-10. Web.
Ritter, A. (2020). Making drug policy in summer—drug checking in Australia as providing more heat than light. Drug and Alcohol Review, 39(1), 12-20. Web.
Sammut, D., & Craig, C. (2019). Bitter pill: Testing times for party drugs. Chemistry in Australia, 20. Web.
Scott, I. A., & Scott, R. J. (2020). Pill testing at music festivals: is it evidence‐based harm reduction? Internal Medicine Journal, 50(4), 395-402. Web.