Nearly one in four Queenslanders who’ve used the state’s pill testing services would consider taking a smaller dose of their substance based on test results.
The Queensland Government opened two fixed pill testing sites in the state this year, in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
New data shows more than 600 people have used pill testing services in Queensland since March.
Pill testing in Queensland
Australia’s first fixed pill-testing site opened in Canberra in 2022.
Queensland became the second jurisdiction to offer fixed pill testing this year, with its Brisbane site. It later opened a second site on the Gold Coast.
These fixed facilities followed mobile testing at music festivals in the state.
The Brisbane pill-testing site, ‘CheQpoint’, tests powders, crystals, crushed pills, LSD paper, and liquids. It doesn’t test cannabis or mushrooms.
Findings
Queensland Government data shows 409 people used temporary pill testing facilities to test 440 samples at festivals this year.
A further 219 people have accessed drug testing at fixed sites since March. Nearly 400 drug samples were tested at these sites.
Half of those who used fixed sites said it was their first time discussing substance use with a health professional.
One in 10 samples tested at fixed sites contained synthetic cathinones; a long-lasting stimulant often sold as MDMA, cocaine, or ketamine.
Almost a quarter of users said they would take a smaller dose than initially intended after receiving the pill testing results.
16% of users said they would dispose of additional samples because of the testing result.
Nearly 80% of people who visited a fixed site said they would tell others about the test result.
Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said: “I want to be clear — there is no safe way to do drugs, but there are ways to reduce harm.”
Schoolies
In July, the Queensland Government announced that pill testing would be made available at Schoolies this year.
The Government said this will help “young people celebrate safely”.
Critics of pill testing say it can mislead users about the safety of taking illicit drugs.
Queensland’s Liberal-National Opposition has committed to scrapping pill testing if they win the state’s election next month.
