Drug testing now officially legal in Victoria, ahead of summer music festival season
Pill testing is officially legal in Victoria after new laws passed the parliament on Tuesday night, paving the way for mobile drug testing services to attend music festivals and events this summer.
Victoria
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Pill testing will be officially legal in Victoria after new laws passed the parliament on Tuesday night.
The legislation paves the way for mobile pill testing services to attend 10 music festivals and events this summer.
A fixed site – to be run by a health operator – will also open by the middle of next year at an inner Melbourne suburb close to night-life hotspots and public transport.
The legislation passed parliament’s upper house on Tuesday night, with support from the Greens, Legalise Cannabis, Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell and Libertarian MP David Limbrick.
Coalition MPs opposed the Bill.
Despite drugs remaining illegal in Victoria, it will not be a crime for a person to use the checking service.
The government said Victoria Police was consulted on the drafting of the legislation to strike a balance between holding drug dealers to account and not deterring people from using the service.
The drug checking technology will be able to test the make-up of most pills, capsules, powders, crystals, or liquids and identify harmful chemicals that can lead to death.
Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said while no drug is safe, the service will give Victorians a clearer picture of what they are consuming.
“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 laws will come into effect once they receive Royal Assent.
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