Parklife and Warehouse Project founder threatens legal action over Home Office festival drug checking policy
"This on-site testing has saved lives and the absence of it puts lives at risk", Manchester nightlife figure Sacha Lord said
Sacha Lord, founder of Parklife festival and Warehouse Project, plans to legally challenge the UK government if it does not reverse the implementation of a special license for on-site drug-checking services at festivals.
Lord, who also serves as Manchester nightlife economy advisor to mayor Andy Burnham and chair at the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), is demanding a judicial review after the Home Office decided at short notice to enforce a requirement for UK festivals to obtain a £3,000 permit in order to allow drug-checking services on site. The move has been deemed by many in the industry as "putting lives at risk". "The industry works tirelessly to ensure we do everything possible to safeguard the public", Lord said in a press statement. "If the Home Office continues not to support us in this vital work we will be left with no other choice but to call for a full investigation and consultation.”
Drug-testing charity and provider The Loop was informed they would not be permitted to set up at Parklife festival under the license rules on 8th June, two days before the event was due to start on 10th June. Home Office officials say the license is not new, though it has not been enforced until last month. "The Home Office is well aware that on-site drug testing has been taking place at festivals across the country since 2014", Lord said.
"On-site testing produces immediate results which can be acted on by drug users, festival organisers, the police and medics", Lord said. "The labs also present a safe, anonymous area for a drugs amnesty scheme to be operated, thereby taking dangerous substances out of circulation at festivals." A November 2022 study by The Loop confirmed that drug-checking services at festivals improves the safety of attendees.
Last week, Lord was joined by Fatboy Slim, Billy Bragg, NTIA CEO Michael Kill, Metronomy's Olugbenga Adelekan and 30+ cross-party MPs and industry figures in signing a letter to Home Secretary Suella Braverman urging the Home Office to reverse the "disastrous", "shortsighted and dangerous" decision.
Read more about the importance of the UK government adopting drug policy through a harm-reduction lens in journalist Ed Gillett's 2021 feature.
