GPs are urging the South Australia Government to introduce drug testing services to save lives.
It comes ahead of the upcoming music festival season and the emergence of new deadly synthetic opioids hitting our shores.
Drug testing, commonly referred to as "pill testing", can be conducted at mobile sites, such as music festivals, as well as fixed sites open during extended hours. Earlier this year, the Royal Australian College of GPs threw its support behind the New South Wales Government's first drug testing trial, and strongly backed the Victorian Government heeding our calls and doing the same, as well as launching a groundbreaking permanent fixed testing site. The ACT Government has led the way for many years, successfully conducting drug testing at events such as music festivals and opening a fixed testing site.
RACGP South Australia Chair, Dr Sian Goodson, said it was time to act.
"Lives are at risk, we need action", she said.
"Other states and territories are acting on drug testing, why not us? A 'War on Drugs' law and order-first approach gets us nowhere. The situation is urgent, the music festival season is fast approaching, and we know that at these events many young people take illicit drugs without knowing exactly what's in them, including deadly substances that have taken lives in Australia, and overseas.
"Earlier this year, South Australian Health and police issued warnings about nitazenes, a drug far stronger than fentanyl and hundreds of times more potent than heroin. It's being detected in a range of substances including counterfeit pain medications, opioids, as well as vapes, and records show this lethal drug has already been linked to seven deaths and 13 non-fatal overdoses in our state in the last few years. Keep in mind too that every year many new and dangerous illicit drugs arrive on our shores.
"We know too that over 70% of South Australians support drug testing. We're seeing strong momentum across Australia in other states and territories, so let's seize this opportunity and act now. How many more lives have to be lost to illicit drugs before sanity prevails and the Government acts?"
RACGP alcohol and other drug spokesperson, Dr Marguerite Tracy, backed Dr Goodson's calls.
"Pill testing services save lives, the only thing holding us back is political will," she said.
"In June this year, it was revealed that 1400 samples tested at mobile pill testing sites at Victorian music festivals found that in 11% of samples, the drug was not what people expected it to be. These services not only allow people to know what they're ingesting; they're providing a valuable opportunity to talk to health professionals about their illicit drug use. At the Victorian sites, 65% of those who used the site said that it was their first ever conversation with a health professional about drug and alcohol safety and their substance use.
"Drug testing is not about condoning illicit drug use, far from it. As a GP I discourage all patients from experimenting with illicit drugs. They're never completely safe or risk free. However, illicit drug use does happen, including in South Australia, and drug testing is a sensible harm reduction measure that saves lives. Every life matters, drug overdoses don't happen to 'other people', it could be your friend, child, family member or loved one."
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