ALEX Cole-Hamilton has called drug testing to be rolled out to all festivals and major events in Scotland.

The Lib Dem leader's call comes after the death of a teenager at a rave in his constituency on Halloween.

It is believed nineteen-year-old Maya Nager took an unknown substance before collapsing during the Terminal V electronic music festival at the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston in Edinburgh.

Police are still investigating.

Last month, a report from Liverpool University and drugs charity The Loop suggested having testing available so that people can see what is in their drugs made festivals safer.

The three-year research project found that in 15 per cent of all cases the drugs were not what the person who bought them was expecting them to be.

Their research also found that just under two-thirds of festival goers would then dispose of drugs if they were unsure about the contents.

The study also noted that at festivals with drug testing services there were no drug-related deaths.

There is widespread political support for the policy, with drugs minister Angela Constance last month saying she was “in favour of extending drug checking facilities.”

The Scottish Government is currently working with drugs charity Crew 2000 on a possible testing programme, which could see community based services in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.

On Thursday, councillors from all parties in Edinburgh unanimously backed a call for a drug-checking service in the capital.

There is some scepticism. Neil McKeganey, director of the Centre for Drug Misuse Research recently told the Daily Mail that it would be a “a tacit admission of allowing people to take drugs." 

"Drugs don't become safe just because they don't have any impurities, they remain incredibly harmful,” he added.

Finlay MacFarlane, the SNP councillor who brought the motion to Edinburgh Council disagreed. He said: “People are always going to take drugs and so we can either bury our heads in the sand about that fact or we can create solutions that will help stop people dying.

“For me, it's not about condoning or condemning drug use, it's just about equipping people with knowledge so that they can mitigate risk. And if that stopped someone dying, then I'd much rather do that and take my moral feelings about it out of the picture.

That view was echoed by Mr Cole-Hamilton. He said: “Even with the toughest enforcement in the world you will never eradicate drug use. That means we need to be realistic, and we have a duty to tackle the harms they can present.

“For some people drug testing services will open their eyes as to what it is they are about to take and persuade them to dispose of drugs which are not what they purport to be.

“For others it will be about encouraging them to reduce their dosage and their risk of overdose and to start valuable conversations about future support.

“Scotland is lagging far behind other parts of the world, and even other parts of the UK when it comes to recognising that a compassionate approach that focuses on harm reduction can have big benefits.

“In the wake of the awful tragedy in my constituency, I hope that measures like this can be brought forward to help reduce the risks faced by others in the future."

Superintendent Hilary Sloan from Police Scotland said enforcement was "but one means of tackling"the "tragic impact of drugs on individuals, families and communities."

"Drug testing at events and within communities is a matter that is being explored by public health partners and we await the outcome of their findings," she added.

With the laws around drug use reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government said they would first need to apply to the Home Office for licenses for the three testing centres.

“In light of recent approval for a similar service in Bristol we are hopeful that, when submitted, these applications will be looked on favourably by the Home Office as they will enable people who use drugs to ensure what they are taking is safe and will also mean services on the ground can react more swiftly to any emerging trends in terms of drug use," a spokesperson said.

“The Minister for Drugs Policy discussed drug checking with the UK Minister for Policing, Chris Philps, when she met him on 7 December," they added.

Emma Crawshaw from Crew 2000 said: "Drug markets and supply are constantly changing and it’s important that people in communities have access to testing in the future so that we can identify new drugs and those causing significant harm as soon as possible."