Australia - Drug disposal bin set for Perth music festival

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[top]Drug disposal bin set for Perth music festival

A drug disposal bin will be trialled at a Western Australian music festival in what police believe is an Australian first.

The move follows the death of 17-year-old Perth girl Gemma Thoms, who died after taking three ecstasy pills before the Big Day Out on February 2.

Ms Thoms' friends said she swallowed the pills before entering the festival gates for fear of being caught by police.

WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan says the drug disposal bin will be trialled at the Rock-It festival in Joondalup this weekend.

"The bin will be placed near the main entrance to the festival and patrons will be encouraged to use it without the threat of prosecution by police," Mr O'Callaghan said.

Once patrons pass the bin, they will be subjected to the scrutiny of police and drug detection dogs.

"Anyone caught with drugs after passing the drug disposal bin will be subjected to prosecution to the full extent of the law," Mr O'Callaghan added.

Sergeant Greg Lambert says it is his understanding this will be the first trial of a drug disposal bin in Australia.

"I think we are the first ones to try it, but there has been trials overseas - in England and the United States," Sgt Lambert said.

"The English trial seems to have been quite successful but in the United States it has proved otherwise."

Meanwhile, a pamphlet to inform concert-goers of the dangers of drugs has been produced with the input of government and non-government agencies.

It will be distributed electronically to Rock-It ticket holders, and also handed out at the festival.

- AAP

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...05/2508332.htm