Music festival drug checking: evaluation of an Australian pilot program

Abstract

Background This paper explores the feasibility of delivering a music festival-based drug checking service in Australia, evaluating service design and stakeholder acceptability. Methods Questionnaire and interview data were collected from adult service users and key stakeholders. A mixed methods approach was used to analyse the data on implementation, impact and acceptability. Results The trial service tested 170 substances with more than 230 patrons (including individuals who attended in groups). Adult service users had an average age of 21 years. Voluntary participation in the evaluation resulted in 158 participants completing the pre-service questionnaire, most of whom also completed the post-service (147 participants). Eleven in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with patrons in the weeks following the drug checking. Concordance between what the patron expected the drug to be and drug checking results occurred in 88 per cent (n = 139) of the sample. Evaluation results show that the experience of testing and the accompanying harm reduction brief interventions positively impacted on patrons’ self-reported drug harm reduction knowledge, trust of health providers and stated drug use intentions. The service was received positively by service users. Conclusion This is the first independent evaluation of a pilot drug checking service in Australia. Consideration of operational feasibility and self-reported behavioural change suggests that the program was successful, although communication about the interpretation of drug checking results could be improved. Future studies should develop strategies for follow-up and consider the applicability of behavioural change theory.

Harm reduction behaviours and harm experiences of people who use 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in Aotearoa New Zealand

“…Just over half of the present sample reported changing their drug taking behaviour because of KYSNZ service use, with the majority of clients learning a moderate to large amount about harm reduction through their use of KYSNZ. These data are similar to that reported internationally [ 49 – 51 ], and within Aotearoa [ 27 ], highlighting the positive influence that drug checking services can have on the knowledge and behaviour of people who use drugs. Furthermore, the majority of those who did not indicate behaviour change reported that they believed their drug taking behaviour was safe, indicating that lack of change was not due to a failure of KYSNZ to have positive influence over “unsafe” client behaviour.…”

A step change model analysis of the establishment of pill testing in one Australian jurisdiction

“…Following counselling after receiving the results of the chemical analysis, 42% of participants intended to change their behaviour based on the medical and counselling advice they received at the service, demonstrating that the service had the potential to affect behaviour [ 27 ]. This was later confirmed by the evaluation of the 2019 service [ 36 , 37 ].…”

A Scoping Review of Australian Literature on People Who Use MDMA and Their Harm Reduction Practices

“…Utilizing reagent testing kits was another widely adopted strategy for seeking information on the content and purity of drugs sourced as MDMA, with findings suggesting that people who use drugs would be receptive to health advice from a peer workforce delivered in a culturally safe setting, such as Australia's DanceWize programs, and the CanTEST fixed-site drug checking pilot in the ACT (CAHMA, 2022; Duff et al, 2007). Moreover, existing literature on drug checking pilots at Australia's Groovin the Moo festival in the ACT have indicated that people will discard their “MDMA” at the advice of health professionals when there is an indication that the substance may be dangerous (Makkai et al, 2018; Olsen et al, 2019; Vumbaca et al, 2019).…”