The Tasmanian government has rejected calls from doctors to introduce drug-testing services, despite warnings that dangerous new synthetic drugs are putting lives at risk.
Health Minister Bridget Archer said the government’s opposition to pill testing was unchanged, as the Royal Australian College of GPs warned lethal substances like nitazenes are circulating in the state.
“We don’t support pill testing as a harm minimisation measure,” Archer said, adding the government prefers other approaches, such as take-home naloxone for overdose prevention.
Tasmania’s RACGP chair Dr Toby Gardner said the arrival of nitazenes – synthetic opioids “far stronger than fentanyl and hundreds of times more potent than heroin” – demanded urgent action.
“The stakes are getting so much higher. This is a serious health issue, and we must act now,” Dr Gardner said.
Gardner also noted Hobart had the highest national consumption rates for opioids including oxycodone and fentanyl.
Pill testing lets people check substances before taking them, either at festivals or at permanent sites. Advocates say it saves lives because, despite being illegal, drug use continues.
Victoria’s program found 11% of 1,400 tested samples weren’t what users expected.
It also revealed 65% of participants had their first conversation with a health professional about drug safety through the service.
“Without drug testing, deaths will continue to occur,” said RACGP Tasmania deputy chair Dr Tim Jones.
“People in Tasmania do use illicit drugs and there’s no point taking a hardline approach and acting like this doesn’t happen.”
Asked whether people should at least know what they’re consuming, Archer acknowledged the concern but stood firm.
“It is important that we continue to provide education and harm minimisation approaches across a whole range of different substances,” she said, but confirmed pill testing would not be introduced.
New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT have already rolled out various forms of testing programs.
The Greens’ preventative health spokesperson Helen Burnet said “political courage” was needed and is hopefully for change in the new parliament.
“We know that with the increased and ongoing use of illicit substances, the time is now to introduce testing,” she said.
“The Greens have called for pill testing for many years and believe that this new, collaborative parliament offers an opportunity to break the lack of action by successive governments.”
