Resonance Music & Arts Festival just announced via their Facebook page that they will be using testing kits provided by The Bunk Police to encourage on-site drug testing. Services will be voluntary for those who choose to bring drugs into Resonance. This announcement comes in response to two confirmed deaths at Lost Lands 2018, and attendees widely reporting out-of-control drug use at the festival.
Here’s the statement from Resonance:
Resonance Festival takes place in the same location as Lost Lands: Legend Valley in Thornville, OH. The addition of testing kits may be due to pressure from the local police, after the tragic deaths and chaotic atmosphere at Lost Lands. Either way, the addition of The Bunk Police’s testing kits is a welcome change.
We’ve covered the topic of heavy drug use at festivals before, and we’ll say it again: medical presence and readily available drug testing is the best way to ensure a low impact on attendees. A festival can discourage drugs all they want, but drugs will always make their way on to festival grounds. When that happens, festival organizers need to be prepared to assist attendees with safe test sites, ready use of clean water, and timely medical assistance.
For our readers: please use caution if you choose to take recreational drugs at festivals. Always use testing kits when available. If you’re not sure what’s in a pill, don’t take it. If you’re not sure what’s in a drink, don’t drink it.
We hope for a safe and fun Resonance festival, and we’ll continue to keep you updated as the story unfolds with the aftermath of Lost Lands.
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