BackgroundDrug checking is a harm reduction strategy which allows users to check the content and purity of illicit drugs. Although drug checking has been trialled internationally, with demonstrated value as a harm reduction and health promotion strategy, the use of such services in Australia remains a contentious issue.This study aimed to investigate the proportion and patterns of illicit drug use among young people, their attitudes towards drug checking at festivals and the potential impact of drug checking on intended drug use behaviour.MethodsThe survey was conducted at a major Australian music festival in 2016. Data was collected from a sample of festival attendees (n = 642) aged between 18 and 30 years. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed.ResultsNearly three-quarters (73.4%) of participants reported that they had used illicit drugs in the past 12 months, most commonly cannabis (63.9%) and ecstasy (59.8%). A large proportion of participants believed ‘somewhat’ or ‘a lot’ that drug checking services could help users seek help to reduce harm (86.5%) and that drug checking services should be combined with harm reduction advice (84.9%). However, two thirds of the participants agreed ‘somewhat’ or ‘a lot’ that drug sellers may use this service as a quality control mechanism (68.6%). Approximately half (54.4%) indicated they would be highly likely and a third (32.7%) would be somewhat likely to utilise free drug checking services should they be available at music festivals. When asked whether the results of drug checking would influence their drug use behaviour, participants reported that they would not take substances shown to contain methamphetamine (65.1%), ketamine (57.5%) or para-methoxyamphetamine (PMA) (58.4%).ConclusionThe majority of festival attendees aged 18–30 participating in this study reported a history of illicit drug use and were in favour of the provision of free drug checking at festivals. A considerable proportion reported that the results of drug checking would influence their drug use behaviour. The findings of this study can contribute to the debate regarding whether drug checking services could potentially play a major role in harm reduction and health promotion programming for young people attending festivals.

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Despite the strong rationale for the present study, the efficacy of lithium over placebo in the management of cannabis withdrawal was not demonstrated.

In the hypothalamic pituitary axis dopamine acts both as a neurotransmitter and as a hormone, a dual role which is, in part, responsible for the complex nature of its action. Whilst dopamine directly inhibits anterior pituitary function, its secretory pattern and biological effects are modified by interactions with other hypothalamic factors and by feedback from the pituitary itself. Within the anterior pituitary the inhibitory effects of dopamine are mediated by membrane bound receptors of the D2 subtype. Recent identification of the gene encoding the D2 receptor, prediction of its protein structure and increasing recognition of the diversity of intracellular events triggered by D2 receptor activation now allow greater insight into intracellular dopamine action.Abnormalities of dopamine activity have been described in association with a number of pituitary tumours. These observations have led to the hypothesis that chronic dopamine deficiency may be involved in the development of such tumours. In this review we aim to re-examine this hypothesis in the light of recent investigations into the aetiology of pituitary tumours and the increasing knowledge of dopamine D2 receptor activity.