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The Government passed legislation that allowed recreational drugs to be legally tested at summer festivals in December. Credits: Video - Newshub; Image - Getty Images
National MP Simon Bridges has been accused of disrespecting families of the dead after linking fatalities at festivals over summer with drug-testing services, despite none of the deaths being linked to drug use.
The Government last year temporarily legalised drug-testing services at music festivals, which had already been operating in a legal grey area for several years. That law is set to expire in December, but in April Health Minister Andrew Little said it would be made permanent.
What s the rush? Comparing National and Labour Government s use of urgency
19 Apr, 2021 01:24 AM
5 minutes to read
Parliament Buildings, from left, Bowen House, the Beehive, and Parliament House, Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Jason Walls is a political reporter for the New Zealand Heraldjason.walls@nzme.co.nz@Jasonwalls92
The Government has come under fire from the Opposition on a number of occasions in recent weeks due to its use of urgency in the House. Act leader David Seymour has been a particularly vocal critic, saying the frequent use of urgency shows the Government is more interested in its own agenda than what s best for New Zealand .
Festival drug warning: Testing group says MDMA substituted for dangerous cathinones
26 Dec, 2020 10:51 PM
5 minutes to read
Social issues reporter, NZ Heraldmichael.neilson@nzherald.co.nz
Summer festival attendees are being warned of an incredibly dangerous substitute increasingly turning up in MDMA being tested.
Know Your Stuff has reported in its drug checking clinics over the past few months increasing incidents of what people thought would be pure MDMA either turning out to be just cathinones or only just enough MDMA to spoof the tests.
Synthetic cathinones, also known colloquially as bath salts , have a similar euphoric onset to MDMA but wear off faster leading people to redose, running into trouble.
Toxic chemical methylenedianiline sold as MDMA in Auckland
22 Dec, 2020 11:05 PM
5 minutes to read
Fresh advice has been issued to drug users over a toxic industrial chemical being sold in place of MDMA in Auckland.
Harm reduction service Know Your Stuff has responded to a number of queries about methylenedianiline and offered a solution for users looking to see if they have obtained tainted drugs.
The alarm about the chemical was first raised last month, through the drug early warning website High Alert.
They warned that the chemical has been linked to several poisoning cases in Auckland where the patients suffered liver damage.