More than 700 people used Victoria’s first pill testing service at the Beyond the Valley Festival.
Early data released by the Victorian Government found nearly 40% of those who used the service said they would take less of their drugs than they previously planned.
When the trial was announced, Premier Jacinta Allan told TDA that pill testing was a critical measure to “save lives”.
Here’s what else it found.
Beyond the Vally (BTV)
Last year, the Victorian Government passed legislation permitting pill testing trials at summer music festivals.
The first event to trial the free and anonymous service was Beyond the Valley, a four-day festival held over the New Year period.
Festival attendees were able to submit drug samples for chemical analysis to identify potentially harmful or unexpected ingredients.
Health professionals discussed the results and provided general health and harm-reduction advice.
Results
According to the Victorian Government, health professionals at the festival spoke to over 700 attendees and tested around 600 samples of drugs.
Attendees were able to anonymously submit drug samples for testing to determine their purity and potency.
MDMA, ketamine, and cocaine were among the most commonly submitted substances for testing.
Over 70% reported it was their first “open, judgment-free discussion about drug and alcohol safety with a health professional”.
In multiple instances, festival-goers discovered the drugs they submitted for testing were not what they thought.
Health workers reported some attendees reconsidered taking the drugs after consultation, especially among those with pre-existing health conditions.
“What starts as a simple drug check often evolves into deeper conversations about health and wellbeing — a crucial step in our harm reduction approach,” Acting Mental Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said.
Opposition
The Opposition voted against the pill-testing law when it passed in October, saying “drugs are not safe at any level.”
At the time, Shadow Health Minister Georgie Crozier told Parliament that pill testing tents were not an appropriate place for young people to receive information about drugs. She said festival attendees “actually should be informed before they rock up to a festival.”
TDA contacted the Opposition for further comment on the data but did not receive a response by the time of publishing.
