The ACT Government will fund CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service, Australia’s first fixed-site health and drug checking service, until June 2027, extending its current funding commitment by $1.8 million.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the additional funding would “continue to provide the Canberra community with reliable drug and pill testing services, helping individuals make informed choices and reduce the risks associated with illicit substances”.
The government will also look for a new site so more people can access the service.
CanTEST opened in Civic in July 2022, originally as a six-month pilot. The service analyses drugs and pills to help users better understand the unknown and potentially dangerous substances in illicit drugs. It also provides access to drop-in nurse consultations offering general health, sexual health, and mental health advice.
A range of drugs have been brought into the service for testing, including highly dangerous synthetic opioids, MDMA, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, ketamine, and psychedelics. In many cases, the substances tested were not what people expected them to be – and sometimes deadly.
“Earlier this year, CanTEST issued a crucial community notice via social media after discovering synthetic opioids being checked – potentially saving lives,” Mr Barr said. “This incident highlights CanTEST’s crucial role in safeguarding our community and the need for extending funding.”
In its first 22 months of operation, CanTEST tested more than 2,600 samples; after testing, clients voluntarily discarded more than 10 per cent of samples.
The service delivered more than 3,600 health and alcohol and drug interventions to individuals and groups in its first year. (Some clients received multiple interventions in one visit.)
The service has also contributed to information about the drugs circulating in Canberra, which allows health services and the wider community to learn about and respond to dangerous substances earlier.
“Drug testing literally saves lives,” Emma Davidson, ACT Minister for Population Health, said. “People take drugs, and that’s why we continue to invest in harm reduction measures such as pill testing, so they have better health outcomes.
“CanTEST is proven to drive healthier choices across our community. One in ten substances have been discarded once tested, people have a better understanding of what they are using, and many being less likely to take the substance if it does not contain what they expected.
“Testing also provides an opportunity for people to have a destigmatised conversation about their health needs. CanTEST do a fantastic job providing a safe space for people to talk about what’s going on in their lives and refer them to services that may help them. They take a holistic approach that looks at the person as a whole to give them the best possible health outcomes.
“This funding is a commitment from ACT Government to treat substance use as a health issue, not a criminal one.”
The ACT Council of Social Service (ACTCOSS) congratulated the ACT Government for extending CanTEST’s funding through June 2027.
“Since its launch in 2022, CanTEST rapidly became a vital part of Canberra’s harm reduction toolkit,” ACTCOSS CEO Dr Devin Bowles said. “Based on the impressive results of CanTEST’s first two years of operation, there is a strong case to make this essential service a permanent part of the ACT’s effort to reduce harm from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. It could also be worth reviewing whether the service’s hours should be expanded to meet demand, either in an ongoing way or in response to specific events or the festival season.”
The ACT Government is committed to harm minimisation, in line with the National Drug Strategy 2016-2026 and the ACT Drug Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026, the ministers said.
“The ACT continues to demonstrate its leadership as a progressive jurisdiction, and underscores our commitment to public health and safety, ensuring Canberra remains at the forefront of harm reduction efforts nationwide,” Mr Barr said.
CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service is run by Directions Health Services in partnership with Pill Testing Australia and Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy. On the ground floor of the City Community Health Centre at 1 Moore Street, Civic, the free and confidential service is open every Thursday from 3pm – 6pm and every Friday from 6pm – 9pm.
