Woman Urges Australians to Support Pill Testing After Son Dies at Music Festival

We’ve heard from police officials, doctors, and festival goers about the issues of pill testing, but rarely do we hear from the loved ones of those who are directly affected by such tragic events.

In Australia, drug use at festivals has become a serious problem that has yet to find a solution, and continues to claim the lives of festival attendees. One of those teens, Daniel Buccianti, died in 2012 from a suspected drug overdose in Victoria. His mother, Adriana recently wrote an op-ed from The Huffington Post pleading for officials to introduce drug testing procedures. In the piece, she recalls her son’s achievements but more importantly condemns NSW’s Mike Baird, who placed blame on festivals for not doing enough. Ms. Buccianti believes “real focus should be on the faceless scum-bags manufacturing illicit garbage to sell to our young people for large profit.” She would also indirectly condemn Police Minister Tony Grant for refusing to allow pill testing.

It’s safe to say that Buccianti’s statements are similar to what many supporters of pill testing have been saying all along – testing isn’t supporting illegal drug use, it’s a way of educating others so history doesn’t repeat itself. Given the amount of deaths and  hospitalizations in the region, it’s appalling to sit by as government officials don’t listen to the general public, rather than try to explore all options to ensure the safety of their citizens. Hopefully Buccianti and others like her can rally and spark change in this stalemate on the war on drugs.

If you’re interested in learning more about tester kits and how you can help others do the same, visit DanceSafe.org for more info.

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This article originally appeared in Huffington Post Australia.

In 2012, I lost my beloved son, Daniel, to a suspected drug overdose at a music festival in Victoria.

To me, my son’s death was one too many, but there have been more people die at music festivals since then, especially in New South Wales. My heart goes out to those families who have had to endure all the questions you have when a disaster occurs: Why did it happen? How could it have been prevented?

It will be four years since my son Daniel died, and what his death has taught me is life is far too precious and our children far too valuable for us to just keep trying the same thing over and over again. The reality is, drug consumption has been around for many years and will be around for many more. We need to try something different if we’re going to keep our kids alive.

My son, Dan, was a good member of society. He had a high IQ and was a chef and a community worker who loved working with people who had autism. I have lost a son, but the community has also lost someone. We will never know where life would have taken Daniel and how much he could have contributed to society.

Frankly, I am somewhat appalled to read NSW Premier Mike Baird’s recent comments laying the blame at the feet of festival organisers for illicit drugs used at their events. The real focus should be on the faceless scum-bags manufacturing illicit garbage to sell to our young people for large profit — the people whose only concern is to make huge amounts of money with no regard for human life.

That is why I support pill testing. It’s a way to prevent dealers selling the most dangerous drugs — ones that are contaminated or made of things that people don’t even know exist.

If people know they have been sold that sort of garbage, they won’t take it. If the service warns other people about the really dangerous drugs being sold, people won’t buy them.

Pill testing services can also help prevent young people from taking drugs in dangerous ways, because people who come to the services can be educated by the staff.

Having something people want — which is information about what’s really in their drugs — provides people with the opportunity to have an open and frank discussion about illicit drug taking with staff who will never, ever suggest that taking illicit substances is an okay thing to do.

Pill testing has been used all over the world with success. By not introducing pill testing, we, as a society, are making the assumption that people do not have the capacity to make accurate and informed decisions about their own lives.

This much I can tell you: my son Daniel did not want to die and create such grief for me and his sister. He loved us too much, as we did him. Daniel had a future to look forward to.

To continue to deny this service to protect our children is negligent on all accounts.

I would like to urge our politicians to consider my thoughts as a mother who has to live her whole existence without her beautiful boy. We need to do better at keeping people safe at these events. Arresting users and blaming the festival organisers isn’t a solution.

Pill testing doesn’t endorse illicit drug taking. What it does is educate people who use these drugs and prevent people from taking unknown and contaminated drugs. That is a much better way to keep our children and the future of tomorrow safe. It would show leadership from those we come to depend on in our democracy.

 

Source: HuffPost Australia