The Loop to run online course on current trends in festival drug taking

Drug checking and harm reduction organisation The Loop is set to host an online training day covering the current drug-taking trends at festivals and outdoor events.

Taking place this Friday (June 7), ‘Responding to Drug Use at Music Festivals and Outdoor Events’ is aimed at workers in the music industry as well as those interested in how to reduce drug-related harm.

The Loop has said that this will likely be the "last time" the course will run until September when it plans to release its end-of-season review.

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This upcoming one-day course will be led by professionals in the field who have "years of understanding and experience" with nightlife drug use and harm reduction.

The aim of the workshop is said to “ensure the safety” of festival-goers and ravers about drug-related harm which includes harm to others such as sexual assault or spiking.

Subjects covered include the current drug trends in the UK, drug legislation, common drug-related problems, the requirements for reporting and recording incidents, emergency treatment, and more.

Last month, the Home Office confirmed that additional licenses will be granted to allow back-of-house drug testing at UK music festivals this year.

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Previously, the lengthy waiting times for licenses to be approved meant that The Loop were unable to operate drug testing at some festivals last year such as Manchester’s Parklife.

In a statement published on May 24, the Home Office said that it will "continue" licensed testing this summer as a "continuation of long-standing government policy," on harm reduction.

The Loop shared on Twitter: “We are resuming our festival drug testing services again this summer, having obtained the first Home Office licence ever issued for onsite festival testing! This is a huge endorsement for The Loop’s work.”

Tickets to The Loop’s ‘Responding to Drug Use at Music Festivals and Outdoor Events’ course are available to purchase here.

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Multimedia Editor, follow her on Twitter