Steve Price is calling for new ideas to be put forward to tackle the issue of drug-related deaths at music festivals.

A coronial inquest into the deaths of six people at NSW music festivals is underway after a string of drug-related deaths over the last two years.

On Monday the inquest heard up to 90 per cent of young people at festivals have taken drugs.

Steve Price says although he’s against pill testing, it’s clear some more creative solutions are needed to help tackle the issue.

“I hate drugs, I don’t take drugs and I’m lucky my young adult daughters haven’t had a drug issue.

“But young people are dying in too high a number. We need to do something.

“Too many deaths, too many drugs and not enough answers.

“We can’t sit by and allow these numbers of young people to perish and die. We have to do something different. Who’s got the answers? I’m not sure, but we can’t just do nothing.”

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Founder of Drug and Alcohol Research Training Australia Paul Dillon is due to give evidence at the inquest today.

He tells Steve Price we need to stop going round in circles and start coming up with solutions.

“I don’t think there are any easy options here but I think we’ve certainly moved in the right direction that we are going to talk about them.

“The instant knee-jerk reaction is to get tougher and I think what we have seen very clearly is that getting tougher is not working. 

“If you look at drug use at festivals it certainly has not decreased because of an increased police presence.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview