2016-08-29
Speech in Parliament - My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Mental Health. During the 2015–16 festival season six young people lost their lives at festivals after taking party
drugs. These deaths occurred as a result of overdose or contamination with lethal mixing ingredients. Many such deaths and the suffering they bring on families and loved ones are preventable. While we cannot bring back those who have lost their lives, we have a responsibility in this place to ensure that these tragedies are not repeated.
Around the world pill testing using advanced scientific equipment has been shown time and time again to reduce party drug-related harm and deaths while having a tangible impact on rates of use. Moralising on the issue does nothing to stop young people dying.
Alongside pill testing at festivals and events, the government must move urgently to ensure information on dangerous pills and substances is shared with the public and potential users. The Dutch Drugs Information and Monitoring System, which has operated for 25 years, has been responsible for saving lives and reducing the risks associated with drug taking. Much of the information needed to establish a similar system in Victoria is already collected by Victoria Police. We must expand this and make sure that the data is publically available and that public health warnings are issued when particularly harmful drugs are released.
Our current laws already contain provisions that can give mobile pill testing facilities and laboratories the legal protection they need to operate. The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 already authorises certain individuals and testing facilities to handle drugs of dependence, with authority to approve these testing facilities given to the Chief Commissioner of Police. Under current laws the government could roll out pill testing and improved data collection quickly.
Evidence from overseas shows that mobile and centralised laboratory grade pill testing facilities can be purchased and staffed at a very limited cost. For less than a million dollars annually, Victoria could have a proper pill testing regime and health warning system that would save many lives per year. Avoiding one preventable death in Victoria is worth the money.
Considering the legal framework to implement pill testing programs already exists in the state of Victoria, the action I am seeking from the minister is to establish a properly funded harm reduction program, including pill testing, in time for the upcoming festival season.