Debate contribution: Public Health Agency: Advice to Festivalgoers

Debate contribution by Mr Mike Nesbitt on 2 June 2026.

MLA: Mr Mike Nesbitt
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 2 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Public Health Agency: Advice to Festivalgoers
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5584349

Text

I take a rather practical view of the use of banned or illegal substances: they have been with us for a long time and will be with us for a long time to come. I know that some people, including those in the Member's party, say that the only acceptable message is, "Do not take illegal drugs". That position is perfectly valid, and I acknowledge it, but I do not think that it is practical. People take those drugs, and a concert is one of the occasions when they are probably most likely to take them. I am into mitigating the damage. For example, I was at a four-nations meeting on drug use last year in Scotland, where they are so concerned about people injecting a certain class A drug that, in one 12-month period, they gave out 400,000 pieces of foil to encourage people to smoke the drug rather than inject it in oder to avoid blood-borne disease. I support that as a practical step, rather than saying that it is possible to stop the illegal use of drugs.

180 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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