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Pill‐testing as a harm reduction strategy: time to have the conversation
Author(s) -
Morgan Jody,
Jones Alison
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja2.50385
Subject(s) - conversation , harm , pill , citation , medicine , sociology , library science , psychology , computer science , communication , nursing , social psychology
The recent deaths of five young Australians at music festivals has once again placed pilltesting at the forefront of media discussion. Rates of drug use are significantly higher among certain subpopulations, with dance music nightclubs and music festivals being examples of places with elevated levels of drug use.1,2 Of 642 surveyed attendees at an Australian music festival, 73.4% reported drug taking compared with 28.2% of the general young adult population, and for 3,4methy lenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; commonly known as ecstasy) use, this was as high as 59.8% compared with 7.0%.2 MDMA is increasingly available in powder and crystal forms with street names of molly, mandy and crystal, meaning some users do not associate the drug with ecstasy.