The 2021/22 ACT Budget has allocated $260,000 for a pilot permanent pill testing site in Canberra’s CBD, which the ACT Greens said “will reduce harm and stigma”.
ACT Greens spokesperson for drug harm reduction, Johnathan Davis MLA, said he looks forward to seeing the program rolled out as soon as possible.
“We know pill testing saves lives. We saw this during the successful pill testing trials at the Groovin The Moo music festival in both 2018 and 2019,” Mr Davis said.
“There are many people in our community who use drugs recreationally. Offering a permanent place where people can test their pills is one way our government can help people who are planning to use drugs, to stay healthy and safe.”
He said the ACT Greens campaigned on a Drug and Alcohol Reduction Plan in the last election which included a pill testing initative, so he’s happy to see funds in the ACT Budget to support the crucial service.
“After the initial six-month pilot, a review should allow for adjustments rather than a pause to ensure continuity of the service to the community,” Mr Davis said.
“Pill testing is part of the essential transition to treating drug use in our community as a health issue. It goes hand in hand with reducing stigma and supporting people who are experiencing problems with their drug use.”
President of Harm Reduction Australia and convener of Pill Testing Australia, Gino Vumbaca OAM, said pill testing has been proven to “significantly reduce the harms from drug use” by giving people accurate information about the substances they are about to consume.
“Too many Australian young people lose their lives each year from drug use, and pill testing, along with a range of other harm reduction strategies, can help reduce that risk. We hope that the information provided by our ACT pilot program will allow other governments in Australia to also allow evidence to guide their decisions,” Mr Vumbaca said.
“I thank the ACT Greens for their long-standing support of our efforts to have this very important public health service available in the ACT.”
Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
For more news:
