Pill testing saves lives.
By detecting toxic and sometimes lethal substances before people take them, pill testing connects drug users with health workers who can advise and inform them about the risks they face.
But Labor and the Liberals refuse to allow pill-testing at Victorian festivals. The Labor government’s ‘just say no’ policy is failing young people. This outdated approach keeps people in the dark about the risks of drug use.
Pill testing takes the health and well-being of people who use drugs seriously.
We know from twenty years of evidence around the world that pill testing works. It’s time Victoria stepped up and took a sensible, evidence-based approach that shifts our response from one of punishment to one of care and harm reduction.
The Greens want to see:
- Mobile pill testing services at live music events and at a fixed site, linking to a state-wide public drug early-warning system.
- Decriminalisation of personal drug use – directing people who use drugs to health services for help, not prison for harm.
- Funding for education, prevention and awareness activities.
