Summer music festivals have long been venues where certain individuals opt to use psychedelics and other substances.
A team of researchers is investigating the implementation of harm reduction practices at these events and the lessons that can be gleaned from them.
Erika Dyck, the lead researcher and a history professor at the University of Saskatchewan, as well as a Canada Research Chair in the history of health and social justice, has dedicated the past twenty years to studying psychedelics.
Dyck highlighted that music festivals, being common settings for the use of such substances, are also places where harm reduction strategies are frequently employed, as she shared with CBC’s Saskatoon Morning.
“They serve as recreational spaces, yet they remain environments where individuals seek to support one another and mitigate risks,” Dyck explained.
One of the project members, Kenneth Tupper, who is an adjunct professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, mentioned that drug checking initiatives originated in Canada within the context of music festivals.
“The practice gained traction in Canada as part of the response to the toxic drug crisis around 2016, which was declared a public health emergency in British Columbia,” Tupper stated.
He further explained that the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use introduced a novel tool, an FTIR spectrometer, for drug testing purposes circa 2017. Its portability made it well-suited for deployment at festivals like Shambhala and Bass Coast, among others.
The inaugural edition of the Regina Exchange Folk Festival took place recently. Zandra Kaszas, the artistic director, emphasized that ensuring harm reduction and safety were paramount in the event preparations.
“While one hopes for the best, it is crucial to be prepared,” Kaszas noted.
In addition to standard safety measures such as security presence, hydration stations, and on-site medical assistance, the Nēwo Yōtina Friendship Centre (NYFC) was present at the festival with a naloxone station to address potential overdoses.
Tupper underscored the importance of drug testing services in providing individuals with certainty prior to drug use decisions. He emphasized that counseling support for individuals navigating their experiences could be life-saving.