Pill testing will be rolled out at another four Victorian music festivals in the coming months following a trial at Meredith’s Beyond the Valley over New Years.
Among the events seeing the expanded initiative includes the Hard-mission Festival in Werribee next weekend.
Mental health Minister Ingrid Stitt says that event was one of the most dangerous for overdoses last year.
“We saw a number of young people end up in the ICU,” she said.
“It was a combination of the potency of the drug they took and the extreme heat.”
She added that Beyond the Valley had given positive signs in terms of what testing could do for people at festivals.
“The results from Beyond the Valley speak for themselves: pill testing does not encourage people to use drugs,” she said.
“It allows people to see what’s really in their substances and make informed health decisions.
“This service is more important than ever – it offers a sensible health-led approach that will save the lives of young Victorian festival goers.”
