Pill Testing for Queensland Alliance continues advocacy efforts
The Pill Testing for Queensland Alliance (PT4Q), which includes the support of AMA Queensland, wrote to Queensland Premier David Crisafulli in response to his decision to allow drug testing to proceed at Schoolies in 2024, and to urge continued funding for fixed pill testing sites.
Below is a brief summary of PT4Q's letter to the Premier on 17 February 2025.
Thank you for allowing drug checking to proceed at Schoolies in 2024.
We understand that continuing funding for the two fixed sites (Brisbane and the Gold Coast) from May 2025 is under active consideration by your Government. We urge you to ensure that this vital public health service remains available to Queenslanders.
The service has demonstrated great value for money for the Queensland Government and the community since it opened in April 2024.
- Almost half of people who used the service had never talked with a health worker about their alcohol or drug use before and were provided with health and harm reduction information.
- One in five people received a referral to a GP or other medical professional, or an alcohol and other drugs service.
The service has also provided valuable information to the community and public health system on substances in circulation in real time, including a detection of protonitazene, a potent synthetic opioid and bromazolam, a novel benzodiazepine.
With novel and dangerous substances emerging in drug markets across Australia, it is essential that accurate and timely information is available to people who use drugs to prevent overdose.
PT4Q formed in 2019 and is an alliance of Queensland-based health, medical, harm reduction, academic, community and youth sector organisations working together with local event and entertainment industry stakeholders to advocate for the establishment of pill testing (also known as drug checking) in Queensland.
Pill Testing for Queensland Alliance members include:
- AMA Queensland
- The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists - Chapter of Addiction Medicine, Queensland Committee
- Alcohol and Drug Foundation
- Conscious Nest
- Just Mossin’
- Lives Lived Well
- The Loop Australia, Queensland
- Queensland Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies
- Queensland Injectors Health Network Ltd
- Youth Advocacy Centre
- The University of Queensland’s National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research
- Earth and Frequency Festival
- Electronic Music Conference
- The Tivoli
