School leavers celebrating ‘Schoolies’ on the Gold Coast this year are set to have access to pill testing.
The State Government has announced plans to expand its drug-checking services to cover the two weeks of Schoolies.
It comes after Queensland’s first fixed pill testing centre opened in Brisbane earlier this year.
The QLD Government said the initiative will help “young people celebrate safely” between 16 November and 1 December.
Schoolies testing site
A Schoolies-specific drug checking site will be located near the entertainment precinct in Surfers Paradise.
School leavers can volunteer small samples of their drugs to be tested, confidentially and free of charge.
Schoolies have welcomed the QLD Government’s move, saying its “primary concern is the safety and well-being of young people during Schoolies celebrations.”
Queensland pill testing
The Schoolies announcement comes after QLD opened its first fixed pill testing sites this year.
The Brisbane pill testing facility received 80 samples for checking in its first month.
QLD Minister for Mental Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman said: “Every year thousands of people die from drug related deaths in Australia and one death is one too many.”
Opposition
Concerns over pill testing have been raised across Australia in recent years, with some critics saying it gives users a misleading sense of safety when taking illicit drugs.
The Queensland Liberal-National Party opposition is against the policy. The next state election is in October, meaning if they can block the program if elected.
“It wouldn’t happen. We do not support the weakening of drug laws in the state that we’ve seen under the Labor government and Shannon Fentiman,” LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie told media.
