Victoria Police is reportedly pushing for a new drug alert system which would send messages to partygoers phones to warn them about overdoses or bad batches of drugs being sold in the local area.
News Corp Australia reports that the system would see messages sent not only to patrons, but also bars, pubs and nightclubs in an attempt to prevent drug-related harm.
The system could even push alerts into a person’s Facebook feed, depending on their location, and was reportedly first raised as an idea back in January after 20 people overdosed on a toxic batch of MDMA on Melbourne’s Chapel Street.
There was also a mass overdose at Electric Parade Festival in February, and six people were taken to hospital last month after consuming a bad batch of GHB at venues in King Street and Little Bourke Street.
Government representatives, senior police, paramedics, doctors and venue owners have reportedly met to discuss the proposed drug warning system.
Meanwhile, Victoria Police is also currently in talks to bring in new laws which would give police the power to stop and search anyone at music events and festivals, even without suspicion or reason.
