The Otago University Students Association is in discussions with drug testing organisation Know Your Stuff to have testing available. Photo / NZH
The Otago University Students Association is in discussions with drug testing organisation Know Your Stuff to have testing available. Photo / NZH
Drug testing is likely at next month's University of Otago Orientation Week events.
The Otago University Students Association (OUSA) confirmed it was in discussions with drug testing organisation Know Your Stuff to have testing available again at this year's events, which run from February 22-28.
It comes in the wakeof a law change to legalise the checking of drugs at festivals over the summer while longer-term regulations were being developed.
Previously, volunteers setting up stalls at events to check for high-risk substances operated in a legal grey area.
Drug testing was also available at both the 2019 and 2020 Orientation events.
Last year, 25 samples were tested over three days and 12 per cent of those turned out not to be the drug the person believed it was.
Twenty of the samples were MDMA, one sample was ketamine, and two were LSD.
This year's Orientation events will be held at the Union Hall and Starters Bar, in a departure from recent years, when they have been hosted at Forsyth Barr Stadium.