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Pill Testing

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Signs to the pill-testing service.

Victoria’s first pill-testing clinic is due to close for the day. But the revellers just keep coming

As the sun sinks and the festival reaches its peak, a steady steam of young people line up with illicit pills, powders and crystals for testing.

  • Rachael Dexter

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Beyond the Valley music festival.

Festival-goer overdoses on first day of Victorian pill-testing trial

Paramedics were called to the Beyond the Valley festival after a man in his 20s suffered a drug overdose.

  • Rachael Dexter and Marta Pascual Juanola
The Minns government is facing pressure from within its caucus to introduce pill testing ahead of the summer music festival season.

NSW Labor considering pill testing this summer

MPs including the parliamentary secretary for health have put their names to an open letter calling on their own government to overhaul drug policy in NSW.

  • Michael McGowan
Nitzaene, a type of synthetic opioid, was presented to Brisbane’s permanent pill testing site this week, prompting a health alert. The drugs vary in strength but can be stronger than fentanyl and up to 500 times more potent than heroin.

Fake painkiller discovered in Brisbane more dangerous than heroin

The drug was sold as oxycodone and purchased online, highlighting the dangers of counterfeit pharmaceuticals. 

  • Courtney Kruk
Pill testing has been in place for the first time this year at schoolies on the Gold Coast.

LNP casts doubt over future of pill testing at schoolies

Just 27 tests have been conducted so far at schoolies, equating to $8000 per test, says Queensland’s health minister.

  • Cameron Atfield
Posters for Brisbane’s first permanent pill testing site CheQpoint spotted in Fortitude Valley. Similar signage will be seen around the Gold Coast.

Pill-testing will be a Schoolies first. Here’s what parents and kids should know

Gold Coast school-leavers will have access to a free and confidential drug-testing service from Saturday, with advocates saying the initiative could be life-saving.

  • Courtney Kruk
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Queensland Premier David Crisafulli visits the Upper Mt Gravatt Police Station on his second day in the job.

Cautious Crisafulli in day-two rethink of LNP’s plan for schoolies

The new Queensland Premier will now “take some advice” about the LNP’s previous vow to scrap pill-testing services at schoolies amid concerns from doctors.

  • Matt Dennien
Jennifer Schumann, the head of the drug intelligence unit at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.

Pragmatism, morality and the social science of pill testing

Critics of pill testing fear it will create a false sense of security that leads to more people taking more drugs. But the evidence says otherwise.

  • Liam Mannix
The Victorian government wants its pill-testing trial in place for summer’s music festivals.

How Victoria’s pill tests will work – both in the lab and at music festivals

Legislation to allow a pill-testing trial will be introduced to Victorian parliament on Tuesday. The government wants the first mobile sites up and running for the summer festival season.

  • Liam Mannix and Rachel Eddie
Inner-city residents say a balance is needed on how late some music venues can stay open.

The hidden costs that are killing live music festivals

Pill testing could make attendance at music festivals and events much safer – but it could dramatically increase the financial risk borne by festivals.

  • Karl Quinn

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/pill-testing-1ml1