Tuesday, 14 May 2024

Drug harm reduction

David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan) (20:15): (877) My adjournment matter is for Minister Stitt. Whilst bitterly disappointed with the government’s decision to abandon its planned supervised injecting facility in the CBD, there were other aspects of the same announcement that were very welcome, including the plan for a comprehensive statewide response to address drug-related harm, and a statewide network of drug checking and early warning systems to respond to new and evolving threats in the illicit drug market should be part of that response. So it is very timely that the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association and Harm Reduction Victoria have released the report Drug Checking: Principles of Practice – A Model for Victoria. Informed by consultation with key stakeholders, including potential users of drug-checking services, it provides a fantastic model for government to roll out. Its guidelines for establishing drug-checking services in Victoria, both fixed-site and mobile-checking services, complement the state’s existing harm reduction measures.

We need fixed drug-testing sites as well as mobile sites. Many of us with children of a certain age face the summer music festival season with genuine dread, wondering if our kids will make it home. A recent finding that dozens of deaths at festivals could have been prevented with drug checking does little to relieve that anxiety. But we know that the majority of drug-related fatalities occur outside of festivals. Prohibition has not worked. People will continue to take drugs, and drug-checking services prevent harm, prevent death and reduce the risks associated with taking drugs. It is why Legalise Cannabis Victoria, in partnership with the Greens and the Animal Justice Party, introduced the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Pill Testing Pilot for Drug Harm Reduction) Bill 2023 in this chamber. Drug checking has now been recommended in seven Victorian coronial findings. The recent national drug household survey showed that 64 per cent of the population support drug checking. There are no less than 89 community health based organisations across the state calling for this service. Minister, we now have clear guidance from experts on the operation of such a service, so I ask: given the popular support for this service, when will your government implement this life-saving policy?