By Matthew Sims
Legalise Cannabis South Eastern Metropolitan MPs Rachel Payne and David Ettershank have welcomed the State Government’s announcement of trial pill testing of illicit drugs for the summer music festival period.
Premier Jacinta Allan announced the trial on Tuesday 25 June, with the trial set to run for up to 18 months and include mobile and fixed site services.
The state has experienced a rise in drug-related emergency department admissions, with 46 overdose deaths in 2022 involving novel synthetic drugs and paramedics responding to more drug overdoses at festivals in the first three months of this year than during all last year.
The trial would aim to test different models of delivery for an important health service which would eventually be in place permanently, with a mobile service attending up to 10 music festivals and events throughout the trial period ahead of a fixed site opening in mid-2025.
Legalise Cannabis Victoria joined with the Victorian Greens and the Animal Justice Party to introduce a Pill Testing for Drug Harm Reduction Bill last year.
Ms Payne joined with Animal Justice Party Northern Victoria MP Georgie Purcell and Greens North Eastern Metropolitan MP Aiv Puglielli to call for the State Government to look at pill testing on Tuesday 18 June, complete with matching ‘speed dealer’ sunglasses.
Following the State Government’s announcement, she said the evidence clearly showed pill testing had saved lives.
“Pill testing is sensible policy reform,“ Ms Payne said.
“Multiple experts, including coroners and harm reduction specialists have called for a harm-minimisation, health-led approach when it comes to totally preventable deaths related to drug-taking.
“Now it’s important that we see these services rolled out in a way that is going to keep people safe ahead of the summer festival period when we know young people are at increased risk.”
She said she was grateful to the Premier and Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt for responding to the calls for change.
“This is not about politics, as we have seen cross-bench colleagues come together to call for reform,“ Ms Payne said.
“It’s about good policy that saves lives.“
Fellow Legalise Cannabis Party South Eastern Metropolitan MP David Ettershank said the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) first trialled pill testing at the music festival Groovin the Moo in 2018 and again in 2019.
“Then in July 2022 Australia’s first ever fixed pill testing service – CanTEST was set up in Canberra,” he said.
“It’s proved effective in the ACT and we are so grateful it’s now coming to Victoria.“
The Liberals and Nationals have since come out against the trial announcement.
Nationals mental health spokesperson Emma Kealy said it was “extremely irresponsible“ for the Premier to convince parents and young people that testing illegal drugs for contaminants would make them safe.
“On-site drug testing has significant limitations,“ she said.
“It can’t measure drug potency, predict individual reactions, or account for dangerous interactions with alcohol and other substances.“
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) also came out in support of the trial announcement, with chief executive Dr Erin Lalor AM describing the decision as a “positive step“ for the state, which would hopefully be the first in a suite of measures.
“The reality is, new substances are continually entering the market, so ensuring people have timely, evidence-based information is crucial to preventing and reducing harm,“ she said.
“It gives people who have already purchased drugs and are intending to use them, the opportunity to test the drug’s strength and key ingredients, in a non-judgmental setting.
“At the same time, it’s a unique opportunity to provide them with the information they need to reduce their risk of harm.“
