Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that six people have recently died from drug use, at music festivals in New South Wales and Victoria, including a young Queenslander. Significant evidence shows pill testing can save lives. It is an additional measure that can reduce the harms for young people, who can sometimes make poor choices, often due to a range of factors including alcohol use and/or peer pressure. Pill testing provides an important opportunity to engage with young people and warn them of the dangers of the substances they have already purchased.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to support a pill testing trial in Queensland to minimise the harms to young Queenslanders; and in doing so implement a harm-minimisation strategy that has the potential to save lives.