Welcome!
Pill Testing Australia (previously STA-SAFE) conduct laboratory grade, front of house pill testing integrated with health professional consultations.
Having conducted Australia’s first successful pill testing at Groovin the Moo in 2018 we are working hard to roll out this proven, important harm reduction strategy at events and eventually in cities around Australia. The Groovin the Moo 2019 pill testing service was a resounding success and led to the establishment of Australia’s first ever fixed pill testing service – CanTEST – which was launched in July 2022, and following a 6 month pilot, 675 discussions, 85 health interventions and 614 substance tests, funding has been extended into 2023.
If you thought testing pills was just a recent idea, think again. Drug checking services have been developed over the last 25 years in over 30 countries and are one of the best proven strategies for reducing drug-related harm.
The evidence for pill testing shows us that:
- it reduces the amount of drugs consumed by individuals
- it reduces the variety of drugs consumed in a session, both of which are risk factors for overdose & death
We are dedicated to seeing pill testing services rolled out as part of a nationwide system.
What we do is relatively simple.
People considering using a pill or other drug can see us to have them tested to discover what it is they may really be taking.
As part of this process we will provide a range of information to help people make an informed decision while understanding the risks and what to do in the event of any adverse outcomes.
This is an opportunity for an early intervention, the provision of non-discriminatory health information, and access referral pathways to a range of health and community services.
We never advise people it is safe to take drugs
We never promote the consumption of drugs
We are a non-discriminatory health service.
Enjoy looking around our website and learning about the different services we provide.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Pill Testing Explained animation
Launched on Oct 31, 2020, an animated video produced by Dancewize, Pill Testing Australia and SSDP.
Greens introduce Pill Testing Bill in NSW Upper House
Greens MP and spokesperson for drug harm reduction, Cate Faehrmann, has introduced legislation that would allow a trial of pill testing at music festivals and a fixed site across New South Wales in the Upper House today.
Crossbench teams up on pill testing trial, as government says it’s open to cannabis discussion
Pill testing could be trialled over next year’s music festival season if three minor Victorian parties get their way on Thursday, a day after the state government announced it was open to talks about decriminalising personal use of cannabis.
Pill testing to go ahead on-site at Spilt Milk festival in Canberra
Pill Testing Australia confirmed on social media that the free drug-checking service would be available at Canberra's Spilt Milk festival on Saturday. The free, confidential service will be available to festival goers on the festival grounds from 11:30am.
KnowYourStuffNZ Celebrates Two Years Of Legality
On November 25, KnowYourStuffNZ is celebrating the two-year anniversary of the Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Act 2021. This Act made drug checking permanently legal in Aotearoa New Zealand, a world first.
Experts Have Renewed Calls To Legalise Pill Testing: Here’s How It Works & Where Things Are At
The Greens have renewed their calls for free pill testing, in an urge to the Victorian Labor Government to take up an offer to establish a free pill testing trial. It calls growing calls from all around Australia, as experts say pill testing is essential to saving...
Correspondence to Victorian Premier re Pill Testing
At an event at Parliament House today, PTA offered a cost-free trial of its public health based pill testing service to the Victorian Government - the offer is supported and endorsed by a variety of unions and organisations.
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PTA will only deliver front of house testing and is a signatory to the Trans-Tasman Charter which lays out the principles under which any pill testing should operate.
