Pill testing law too late for this summer

Published: Dec. 3, 2020, 8:09 p.m.

A volunteer group that tests drugs at festivals says the new pill testing law passed this week is too late to make any difference to young people this summer. The interim law ensures that volunteer drug checkers are not prosecuted when testing whether illicit drugs have been laced or swapped for a more dangerous substance. The Health Minister Andrew Little says the move is about prioritising young New Zealanders’ safety this summer. But the Managing Director of Know Your Stuff, Wendy Allison, says there is not enough time to import the specialist spectrometer equipment needed to establish testing stations at all the festivals this summer, and the services on offer will be no better than last year.