Following last summer's trials at the Secret Garden Party and Kendal Calling - which resulted in a drop of hospitalisation rates - the testing of illicit drugs is to take place at more festivals this summer.
Currently backed by police forces in Manchester, Cumbria and Cambridgeshire, it is understood the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) is working on guidelines which will encourage local forces to support similar schemes at festivals and nightclubs, and it's hoped that West Yorkshire police will also soon back the idea.
Melvin Benn, who runs Reading & Leeds festival, Latitude, Wireless, and more, told the Press Association that he expects testing to be available at between six and ten festivals this summer.
Yesterday Durham chief constable Michael Barton told the Daily Hate Mail that: "If we can save lives by getting people to test their drugs, I do not see this as harmful as long as people do not take this as support for drug taking."
David Raynes of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, which opposes relaxation of the UK's drug laws, said: "One of the problems with this is it will normalise drug taking", yet last summer suggests that abnormality and secrecy around the illicit is a part of the problem. Drug-related deaths at festivals last summer included those aged 17 and 18, where inexperience with drugs and lack of knowledge about what they were taking is likely to have played a part.
Lead for drugs at the NPCC, commander Simon Bray, said a "strong understanding of the implications on policing" was required before testing could be endorsed. "We could not support initiatives that do not comply with the law or that have unintended negative consequences. Any proposal would need to be considered by the police force, local authority and health services with a view on its legal, scientific and possible health implications."
Melvin Benn hopes that testing will be available at Leeds festival this summer. "It's taken a long time and it won't be at every festival, but where we think there is a need to do it we will be doing it" he said.
West Yorkshire Police assistant chief constable Andy Battle, who leads the policing operation for Leeds, said they were "looking at the possibility of supporting the festival's organisers", adding that "we can never condone the use of illegal drugs, but we recognise that some people will continue to take them and we need to adapt our approach in the interests of public safety. Consuming controlled drugs is inherently dangerous and the tragic consequences of this have been illustrated with drugs-related deaths at the event in recent years. We will continue to work closely with the on-site security team to target the possession and supply of controlled drugs and the criminal law will be applied appropriately as necessary."
The on-site testing is carried out by The Loop, where people can leave a small substance sample to be tested and return for the results a shot time later. which determine the type of drug, ingredients, potency and risks. Users are then given a 15-minute talk with an NHS nurse or doctor about the results.
Of those who used the service run by The Loop last summer, around 1 in 5 people choosing to destroy their 'drugs' - or not-drugs - after hearing the results of what their substance contained.
Whatever you do, stay safe.