The Greens warmly welcome the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners speaking out in strong support of pill testing, saying in today’s Mercury the measure is “long overdue.” We call on all politicians to listen to this advocacy and take action.
There is a good reason the RACGP and other medical bodies like the Australian Medical Association support pill testing – because it reduces harm and saves lives. When a measure is widely supported by medical professionals usually the government at least takes notice, but with pill testing they have chosen to ignore the strong advice of experts.
Pill testing is already being used in other Australian states because it is such an important way of helping keep people safe when they choose to take drugs. And it doesn’t promote more drug taking – in fact it allows more direct education about the risks of drug taking.
The Greens have campaigned for this measure to be introduced in Tasmania for years. It doesn’t need legislation – it could be done overnight by a direction from the Police Minister. Unfortunately we’ve seen both Liberal and Labor push back against making this life-saving change.
It’s well past time for all politicians to start listening to the experts and the evidence, and to permit pill testing in Tasmania.
