Risk intentions following pill test scenarios are predicted by MDMA use history and sensation seeking: A quantitative field study at an Australian music festival.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Most Australian Governments have resisted supporting formal pill testing (drug checking) at music festivals. With limited knowledge available regarding post-pill test substance use behaviour, we aimed to understand risk behaviour within three pill test scenarios by determining the individual factors which predict subsequent risky or risk reduction intentions. DESIGN AND METHODS: Music festival attendees (N = 276) were presented with three hypothetical pill test scenarios and reported their risk intentions, MDMA use history and sensation seeking. The pill test scenarios described an inconclusive test (unknown substance), the detection of a high MDMA dose, or a harmful adulterant (PMA or PMMA). RESULTS: Findings revealed that access to pill test results would facilitate reduced risk behaviour rather than maintained or increased risk behaviour for people who have never used MDMA. However, people who have used MDMA were not necessarily more likely to engage in risk reduction following a pill test. Furthermore, and using predictive analyses, harm-reducing behaviours are less likely when a person has a history of MDMA use and for those high in sensation seeking, particularly if a test result indicates a high MDMA dose. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Pill testing alone may not prevent adverse outcomes in some festival attendees. While some individuals are more likely to reduce their risk than maintain or increase their risk, other features of a pill test scenario (e.g. referral to support services, drug education) are likely to be important facilitators of harm reduction intentions.

Novel psychoactive substance and other drug use by young adults in Western australia.

There is a lack of information regarding the use of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in Western Australia. The aim of this study was to pilot-test an online survey to obtain data on the prevalence of NPS and other drug use by young Western Australians aged between 18 and 35 years. The Young Adult Drug and Alcohol Survey (YADAS) was a questionnaire deployed online for a period of six months. Participants were recruited via a combined targeted sampling and snowball methodology. There were 472 valid responses. Overall lifetime use of NPS was relatively high (17.6%), while use in the last year was lower (6.6%). These proportions were comparable to that of cocaine use. The most popular NPS were the synthetic cannabinoids. The proportions of respondents drinking alcohol at risky levels, mixing alcohol with energy drinks, and using pharmaceuticals such as ADHD medications for non-medical reasons were high. The YADAS is the first survey to ascertain the prevalence of use of numerous types of NPS in a large sample of young Western Australian adults. The utilization of an online survey methodology yielded valid results as compared to more intensive surveys, and enables researchers greater flexibility in being able to capture current trends.