Testing drugs for fentanyl should be allowed at Quebec music festivals, group says

A Quebec organization says drug analysisservices should be introducedat music festivals around the province in order to minimize the risk of fentanyl overdoses and deaths.

The non-profit group, known as GRIP Montreal, says the move is necessary given the increasing presence of fentanyl in the province.

Fentanyl is 40 times stronger than heroin and more than 900 people died from fentanyl overdoses in British Columbia in 2016.

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GRIP Montreal says drug testing is common at festivals in Europe and Australia, but remains controversial in Quebec.

Given the potential presence of fentanyl in some recreational drugs, GRIP Montreal founder, Jean-Sbastien Fallu, said allowing testing may be a matter of life and death for some concert goers.

"With the fentanyl crisis we're having right now, there is a great risk to recreational drug users and we might have many overdoses and even deaths if the situation is not handled," he said.

GRIP already provides psychosocial services at festivals around the province, including information programs on drug use.

Evenkokeeping an open mind

Philip Vanden Brande, spokeperson for the festival producerEvenko, said the companyisin talks with GRIP Montreal to determine "if and how" such a service can be integrated into their events, which includeOsheagaand Heavy Montreal.

"We're in conversations with them to see how we can improve what we currently have on-siteand the next steps that should be taken for the security of our festival goers and staff," he said.

At the moment, Vanden Brande said Evenko'ssecurity team is more oriented toward ensuring illicit drugs are seized "before they even get on-site."

"But if [drugtesting]is a service that we think can be provided to our festival goers and if it's worth it to have thatthis year, then it's something we'll definitely look into," he said.

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