UK Government urged to support drug testing at festivals

The government has been urged to undertake drug safety testing at festivals and events this summer to prevent drug-related deaths, as Mixmag reports.

A new committee under the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) department has put out a call for the government to introduce drug testing services at events after evidence showing that there have been 14 drug-related deaths at music festivals since 2017.

“The government should introduce a dedicated licensing scheme for drug checking to set a clear legal framework and minimum standards that service providers must meet,” said the DCMS.

The Home Office stated in 2018 that the government “would not stand in the way” of drug testing at festivals and clubs, however, only a limited number of events currently provide these checks.