Mental health workers could reduce drug risk at Hong Kong music festivals, experts say
UK and Australian event safety managers give advice following death at Road to Ultra festival in Kowloon earlier this month
Counsellors and psychiatrists should be deployed at Hong Kong music festivals to help identify drug dealers and give medical advice to revellers, according to two veteran overseas event safety managers.
The two experts were in town for a seminar last week on event safety, organised by the Jockey Club’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute, which aims to raise the city’s disaster awareness.
Roberts said European music festivals also faced drug problems, especially with psychoactive substances like cannabis and ecstasy.
Police investigate after man dies at Road to Ultra electronic music festival in Hong Kong
“We can’t prevent drug use just like we can’t prevent terrorism,” said Roberts, who oversees safety at various events like the world-famous Glastonbury Festival. “Sometimes if you make stronger barriers, [party-goers] will do it in the car park or on the train.”
Apart from conventional measures like searching participants at the entrance and deploying sniffer dogs, he suggested stepping up patrols at toilets and having counsellors, medics and psychiatrists on site.
