The Victorian Government has appointed a service provider for Victoria’s first pill testing service.
The service provider is a consortium led by Youth Support and Advocacy Service (known as YSAS) in partnership with The Loop Australia and Harm Reduction Victoria.
Pill testing will start in Victoria at the Beyond the Valley Festival at Barunah Plains from 28 December to 1 January 2025. The mobile service will attend 10 festivals and events throughout the 18-month implementation trial.
A fixed-site service is due to open in mid-2025. It will be co-located in a health service and operate from inner Melbourne, close to nightlife and transport.
The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Pill Testing) Bill 2024 passed the Victorian Parliament in October. It establishes the legal framework for the service operation and a robust licensing framework to regulate the service.
Read more about Victoria’s pill testing trial.
