Under the previous Labor Government, Queensland was the first state to introduce pill testing services. These services provided Queenslanders with access to qualified health professionals who could:

• check for dangerous and unknown substances,

• provide harm reduction advice, including access to take-home naloxone to prevent overdose deaths,

• connect people with mental health and other support services.

In fact, nearly half of people who used pill testing services had never spoken to a health professional about their drug use before. For many, it was the first opportunity to have an honest, supportive conversation that helped them make safer choices.

Importantly, pill testing wasn’t just for festival-goers. With the rise of counterfeit prescription medications and powerful synthetic opioids like nitazenes—which are more potent than fentanyl and heroin—pill testing provided a crucial safety net. These services not only identified dangerous substances but also allowed public warnings to be issued, protecting the wider community.

By banning pill testing, the LNP Government is ignoring expert medical advice and removing a service that has been proven to save lives. Other states, including Victoria, New South Wales, and the ACT, are moving forward with pill testing as part of their public health strategies, while Queensland is being pushed backwards.

Labor will continue to stand with health professionals, harm reduction experts, and the many Queenslanders who know that pill testing is about keeping people safe. Politics and ideology should never come before people’s health.