Free and confidential mobile drug testing returns to major music events across Victoria this summer.
Mobile pill testing services in Victoria will be available at Spilt Milk on 6 December, Dangerous Goods 6XXL on 24 January, and Pitch Music and Arts Festival from 6-10 March. Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt confirmed the Victorian government’s mobile pill testing trial continues with these three events, with more festivals to be announced soon.
Experienced health experts staff the completely free and confidential service, providing crucial information to help festival-goers make safer decisions. Mobile pill testing can analyse a range of substances, and when high-risk drugs are detected, organisers work quickly to warn attendees.
Victorian Pill Testing Service
- Where: Fixed site in Fitzroy
- Extended summer hours from 1 December: Thursdays and Fridays
- Additional pre-New Year’s Eve dates: Monday 22 December, Tuesday 23 December, Monday 29 December, Tuesday 30 December, Wednesday 31 December
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Last summer’s trial tested almost 1,400 samples across five major music festivals, revealing that 11 per cent of samples weren’t what people thought they’d purchased. Ten drug notifications went out across those five events, with two escalating to statewide advisories. Beyond saving lives and reducing drug harm, mobile pill testing also relieves pressure on emergency services and strengthens Victoria’s drug surveillance through early detection of hazardous synthetic substances.
Fixed site operations have already tested more than 500 samples and conducted harm reduction conversations with nearly 300 people in just six weeks. While 395 samples contained expected substances, one in eight samples contained unexpected psychoactive drugs that could cause unwanted effects or serious harm. Two drug notifications were issued for counterfeit oxycodone pills containing dangerous nitazenes – a synthetic drug up to 500 times stronger than heroin.
Youth Support and Advocacy Service, The Loop Australia and Harm Reduction Victoria deliver the Victorian Pill Testing Service as part of an 18-month government implementation trial. Mobile pill testing services at upcoming festivals will continue building critical drug monitoring data while providing life-saving advice to people attending summer music events across the state.
For more information, head here.
