Pill testing trial a first for Australia

VICTORIA will become the first state in Australia to trial pill testing after the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Pill Testing) Bill 2024 passed through both houses of Parliament.

As part of the trial, a mobile testing service will attend up to 10 music festivals and events throughout summer in the midst of an increasingly volatile and unpredictable drug market.

A fixed site will also open in mid-2025 and operate with targeted hours in an inner-Melbourne area close to nightlife and transport.

The drug checking technology to be used will be able to test the chemistry of most pills, capsules, powders, crystals or liquids and identify harmful substances that could lead to death.

Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt said while no drug is ever safe, the new legislation will allow people to be better informed about their drug use.

“We have made it clear since announcing this trial – these changes don’t make drugs legal, but by having pill testing services in place, we can help to keep more Victorians safe during busy summer festival seasons,” she said.

“The passing of this nation-leading legislation paves the way for our implementation trial to begin – this will allow us to explore what model works best because there’s plenty of evidence that pill testing saves lives.”

The legislation also supports increased access to overdose reversal medicine naloxone through the setup of 20 vending machines across the state by mid next year.

Further information can be found on the Victorian Legislation website.