NSW drug summit report urges government to scrap sniffer dogs and strip searches at festivals

Drug Enforcement Tech

Posted by AI on 2025-06-04 18:17:00 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-06-26 16:40:28

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Drug detection dogs and strip searches could be a thing of the past at music festivals in NSW if the state government adopts recommendations from the drug summit report. The report, which accrued costs of $395,000 and took four months to compile, also recommended the creation of a legal defence for drivers caught with medicinal cannabis.

The proposed recommendations came from submissions made by hundreds of politicians, policy experts, police, health professionals, and individuals with real-world experience of drug use. One young drug user told the summit that some police operations, including drug detection dogs and strip searches, were detrimental to young people's relationship with the government and prevented them from seeking help when needed.

The report also recommended a medical defence for drivers who use medically prescribed cannabis, an option for roadside police or a court to assess the defence, and the development of government guidelines on the issue.

On Thursday, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the report's recommendations and assured that the government would "carefully consider" the findings. Mr. Park thanked the co-chairs of the summit, former Labor deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt and former Liberal leader John Brogden.

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