Drug testing scheme at Belfast festivals blocked: 'No legal way for council to do it' say officials
An Alliance bid to set up free drug testing at Belfast festivals this summer has been blocked, after city officials concluded there’s no legal way for the council to run it.
The idea had received widespread backing when it came before the local authority earlier this year, with politicians believing it would be a practical way to reduce harm for gig-goers.
But the verdict of officials is “there is no legislative framework, funding mechanism or operational model in place that would enable Belfast City Council to establish or directly deliver drug and pill testing facilities at events”.
In Great Britain, charities can carry out what are known as ‘back of house’ drug checks under licence from the Home Office. That sees organisations test the chemical make-up and potency of substances handed to them by festival attendees, which enables authorities to quickly issue warnings if powders or pills doing the rounds are a dangerous ‘bad batch’ or far stronger than usual – either of which would leave people taking them at risk of being poisoned or overdosing.
The system’s different in Northern Ireland, where according to council reports the oversight body is a section of the Department of Health that regulates medicine.
No one has ever applied to that section asking for a ‘back of house’ drug testing licence, department officials told the council. If anyone did, it would be considered a “novel application” subject to a lengthy “detailed assessment and engagement” period before civil servants decide whether or not to give it a green light.
The department also said that if specific substances are causing concern, there are already testing facilities available through the PSNI and forensic services – though they could take around 48 hours to come up with a result.
According to council reports, the department also reinforced that introducing drug testing at festivals is not part of Northern Ireland’s strategy on reducing harm from substances, and advised that any moves to bring it in would likely need a new provincewide policy set down by the Executive.
When the verdict and the department’s opinions came before a council committee this afternoon, city politicians were determined not to let the ball drop on “back of house” checks.
Alliance’s Micky Murray, who first suggested festival drug testing, wanted to see a roundtable meeting with all bodies and agencies who could possibly have something to contribute to finding a way forward on the issue. He said: “Make sure it is all partners, not just the Department of Health; they’re just going to block anything or not engage properly with the conversation.”
DUP councillor Nicola Verner said while she appreciated the testing idea is “focused on harm reduction” and she’d welcome the roundtable, drugs remain “a complex issue” that need to be “looked at in the round”.
She stated: “Harm reduction is important but we also have demand reduction, supply reduction, early intervention, the SOS bus, and other harm reduction approaches.”
The SDLP’s Seamas De Faoite blamed blocks on drug testing in Northern Ireland on “an unwillingness of people to take bold positions”.
He said: “What we’ve seen in other parts of the UK is that if there isn’t a public interest in prosecution around a specific pilot or schemes, you’re able to move forward. I think that’s entirely possible here.”