The death of two people, a staffer and a visitor, at the Tomorrowland dance music festival is concentrating minds. Illegal drugs were in play and are banned, but some experts are now suggesting the quality of drugs could be tested at festivals.
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Tomorrowland deaths: do we need to test drug quality at festivals? (VIDEO)
Colin Clapson
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Belgian health institute Sciensano is in favour as is the celebrated toxicologist Jan Tytgat (Leuven University). Scientists at Sciensano and toxicologist Tytgat both believe a festival without drugs is not on the cards soon. Monitoring the quality of drugs would save lives and medical costs including hospitalisations.
Jan Tytgat feels festivalgoers or festival organisers should foot the bill: “If festivalgoers have the cash to buy an entrance ticket, pay for the journey and buy drugs, then this individual must also possess the means to pay for the drugs to be tested. If that’s not the case, you could look to the organisers and ask them how much they are spending on preventative drug testing because I think it’s strange Flemish taxpayers would have to carry the financial can for something that is illegal. You can’t privatise fun and expect society to pick up the bill when fun turns nasty”.