Queensland has just become the first Australian state to outlaw pill testing, after the government pushed new laws through parliament late Thursday night. Pill testing services like CheQpoint, which previously ran in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, are now officially banned — making any further drug checking at festivals or fixed sites illegal.
What’s behind the move?
Health Minister Tim Nicholls made it clear the government wants “zero tolerance” for illicit drugs, stating, “There is no safe way to take illegal drugs, and this government does not support publicly or privately funded pill testing. Drug checking services send the wrong message to Queenslanders.”
The crackdown came after the LNP government followed through on a pre-election promise, shutting down two CheQpoint pill testing sites by scrapping $1.5 million in funding back in April. Fixed sites, which were previously established by the previous ALP government, had been set to reopen with private funding, but this new law makes future reopening impossible.
How did we get here?
The ban was pushed through parliament quickly, with critics raising concerns that there was little chance for public debate or formal committee scrutiny. Cameron Francis, CEO of The Loop Australia (which operated CheQpoint) said, “All we are asking for is a meeting with the government before they make irreversible legislative changes that could put Queensland lives at risk. This is about respecting democratic process and evidence-based policy making,” per the ABC.
Francis also warned, “Our service was ready to operate without government funding. For the government to outlaw it through legislation is a short-sighted move that will cost lives.”
The response
Many health professionals have condemned the ban, arguing it risks public safety and undermines harm minimisation work. Australian Medical Association Queensland President Nick Yim said per The Guardian, “We are disappointed with the government’s move to ban pill testing. Pill testing provides an opportunity for individuals to have a conversation with a health professional about their drug use. As doctors, we are concerned we’ll see an increase in presentations to our emergency departments, particularly in the upcoming summer festival season, where we know people may use drugs.”
The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP), which backed Queensland’s original pilot program, reiterated its view that “drug testing services like CheQpoint save lives” and urged the government to reconsider.
“No type of illicit drug use is ever safe, but we must follow the evidence. All governments should listen to the experts and put in place common sense measures to reduce drug-related harm and save lives,” the statement read.
Queensland’s pill testing service tested over 1,000 drug samples and assisted nearly 700 people with confidential advice before it was shut down. Data from CheQpoint’s first year showed about 10 per cent of tested samples contained unexpected drugs, some highly potent and dangerous. A recent independent University of Queensland report found pill testing “provided valuable harm reduction”, per 9News, and indicated many users reconsidered taking their drugs, and suggested the service should be expanded — not axed.
Still, Queensland now stands alone as the first state to totally outlaw pill testing with legislation. Medical groups continue to push for the release of official findings and more transparency, but for now, pill testing in Queensland has ended — and the debate is far from over.
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