The Greens have welcomed the announcement that pill testing will be introduced at Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival this year and at fixed-site locations in Queensland, and slammed the LNP for their opposition to harm reduction.
Greens MP Michael Berkman:
“This is a huge win for harm reduction and will save lives in Queensland.
“I’ve been advocating for pill testing/ drug checking ever since I was elected, and although I wish the State Government had come on board sooner - before the loss of young lives like Dassarn Tarbutt and Ebony Greening - this is a massive step forward.
“The LNP needs to grow up and get behind harm reduction measures like pill testing. Any politician who stands in the way of something that saves young lives is not fit for office.
“Whether you like it or not, people are going to use drugs - are you going to punish them, or are you going to help them access information that could save their life? That’s the question LNP members should be asking themselves.
“Five years ago I visited the pill testing facility at Groovin the Moo in Canberra and the most important insight for me was that this is a health intervention service - it’s not just about testing the substance, but the opportunity to speak to someone before they take drugs.
“I'd like to see drug checking expanded throughout the community with ongoing Government support and funding, especially in Safe Night Precincts like the Valley and Surfers Paradise.”
Stephen Bates, MP for Brisbane and Australian Greens youth spokesperson:
“Pill testing saves lives and it’s time everywhere in Australia caught on.
“If we want to protect young people's safety, the best thing we can do is give them the tools to know if they're in danger.
“A permanent pill testing site here in inner city Brisbane will be a literal lifesaver for thousands of young people.”