By 9News,Rebecca Masters

Copyright 9news

Queensland has become the first Australian state to ban pill testing after the LNP government rushed amendments through the state’s single-house parliament overnight.

The move follows through on the government’s promise prior to the election to close drug checking sites, as part of a “zero tolerance approach to illicit drugs”.

“The government’s policy position, which it took to the election, is that there is no safe way to take drugs and that drug-checking services send the wrong message to Queenslanders,” Health Minister Tim Nicholls said today.

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The government scrapped $1.5 million in funding for pill testing service CheQpoint, which operated two drug checking sites in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast last year.

The sites, operated by not-for-profit The Loop, had been slated to re-open with private funding but now cannot do so.

“It’s true that there is no safe way to do drugs,” Cameron Francis from The Loop told Today.

“In fact, the drugs are so dangerous that we need to test them and warn people about some of those dangerous contents that are out there.”

The amendments to the Medicines and Poisons Act passed Queensland’s single-house parliament last night.

They prevent the chief executive of Queensland Health from granting or renewing future substance authorities for the purpose of drug checking and discontinue current substance authorities issued for the purpose of drug checking services.

Nicholls said this “aligns Queensland with other states including WA, SA and Tasmania”.

While governments in those states are opposed to pill testing, Queensland is the only state to have outlawed it with legislation.

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The vote coincided with the release of a previously suppressed report on drug checking by the University of Queensland that found “services provided valuable harm reduction through the provision of information about substances, drug interactions, drug policy, signs and responses to drug overdose and naloxone”.

It found half of all clients intended to “change their substance use, most commonly via taking a smaller amount, spacing out doses or disposing of the substance”.

“Follow-up surveys and interviews with clients found that many clients changed their actual behaviours: 2 in 5 clients reported not using the tested sample, 1 in 5 used less of the sample and 1 in 10 disposed of at least one tested sample,” the report found.

It recommended the government consider expanding funding, resources, staffing and technology at drug checking services across more locations to benefit the broader Queensland community.

The Australian Medical Association Queensland has urged the government to reverse its decision.

President Dr Nick Yim said AMA Queensland was “disappointed” and “concerned these changes were made without appropriate consultation with stakeholders, or consideration of the evidence”.

He said pill testing provided an “invaluable early warning system” about the kind of substances circulating in the community.

“We can only get that information through drug testing and it is vital because it educates the community about the risks of harm from drug use,” Yim said.

“Testing clearly shows people that substances they have may not be what they think they are and could be far more dangerous.

“At a time when our public hospitals are under strain with ambulance ramping, measures that can reduce pressure on our emergency departments should be considered.”

He said the report showed 54 per cent of people who attended drug checking services had never spoken to a health professional about their drug use before.

“That is essential to preventing harm and deaths from substances,” he said.

“People at risk from drug use need health treatment and pill testing services put them in touch with the doctors and other health professionals they need.”

National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline 1800 250 015

Family Drug Support Australia 24/7 Support Line – 1300 368 186

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