The Victorian government is under pressure to rethink its stance on pill testing after a 23-year-old man died from a suspected drug overdose at the Pitch Music and Arts Festival. The festival was cut short due to extreme heat and fire risks, with two others also needing medical attention for suspected overdoses.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has been seeking advice on pill testing since January, following multiple MDMA-related hospitalizations at festivals. Aiv Puglielli of the Victorian Greens emphasizes, "Pill testing saves lives...we need it at our music festivals as a matter of priority."

This signals a potential policy shift from former Premier Daniel Andrews' firm opposition to pill testing—a view shared by several state leaders like NSW's Chris Minns and WA's Roger Cook. Meanwhile, ACT and Queensland remain the only states conducting drug checking trials.

Stephanie Tzanetis from CanTEST notes that their trials show significant harm reduction. "If people discover their substance isn't what they expected, it's common for them to discard it," she explains.

Dr. Thomas Norman from La Trobe University adds that pill testing isn't about declaring drugs safe but encouraging safer behaviors through informed choices and professional guidance.

As public support for drug checking grows—rising from 57% in 2019 to 64% recently—Tzanetis asserts Pill Testing Australia is ready to expand services if political will aligns. Both she and Dr. Norman stress that while essential, pill testing is just one part of broader harm reduction strategies needed in challenging environments like festivals facing extreme weather conditions.