February 9th, 2025Festival pill testing trial to continue: events scheduled

The state’s mobile drug testing trial is continuing, with several festival events ahead scheduled to host the service between now and April.

Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt recently announced pill testing will be available at a mix of single-day and multi-day events over the coming months, including Pitch Music and Arts Festival (7-11 March), Ultra Music Festival (12 April) and The Warehouse Project (25 April).

Pill testing was introduced following a spike in drug harm last year, with nine people critically unwell at Hardmission Festival – all experiencing life-threatening hyperthermia after using high potency MDMA in a hot and humid environment, and one death related to a suspected overdose also occurred at Pitch Music and Arts Festival. 

The service is completely free and confidential and is staffed by an experienced team of experts who not only test substances with world-leading technology, but also provide confidential health information to help people make safer, more informed decisions.

The announcement of the final few events for this festival season followed the highly successful launch of Victoria’s first mobile pill testing service in December at the Beyond the Valley. 

More than 700 people used the service – the majority in their late teens or early twenties – and staff tested more than 600 samples – or about one in 50 festivalgoers.

Since that first trial event, the state government has reported that for more than 70 per cent of patrons who used the service at Beyond the Valley, it was the first time they had ever had an open, judgment-free discussion about drug and alcohol safety with a health professional.

Nearly 40 per cent of patrons said they would use a smaller amount of their drugs following their discussion with a healthcare worker at the service, while one in six people intended to discard their drugs after having them tested.

A significant number of festivalgoers were also interested in understanding the interaction of recreational drugs with mental health conditions and prescription medications, particularly antidepressants – many did not know that recreational drugs can interact dangerously with prescribed medications.

Operated by The Loop and Harm Reduction Victoria, in partnership with Youth Support and Advocacy Service –Victoria’s pill testing service uses state of the art mobile testing equipment with capacity to conduct up to 30 tests an hour, more than any other pill testing service in Australia.

Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt: “Following a spike in drug harm last festival season, this service is more important than ever – it offers a sensible health-led approach that will save the lives of young Victorian festivalgoers.”

“The results from Beyond the Valley speak for themselves: pill testing does not encourage people to use drugs. It allows people to see what’s really in their substances and make informed health decisions.”

This story based on a state government media release