Pill Checking/Testing

'Pill testing' or 'Drug checking' is a harm reduction service that helps consumers avoid ingesting unknown and potentially more dangerous substances found in drugs. This aimed to determine design features of a drug-checking service that would be achievable, attractive and likely to be used by Australian festival and nightlife attendees. Australian residents, who reported illicit psychostimulants and/or hallucinogens use and had attended licensed venues past midnight and/or festivals in the past 12 months (i.e. partygoers) were invited to complete a web survey.

In a sample of 851 individuals, almost all (94%) reported that they would use a drug-checking service located at festivals or clubs and 85% reported that they would use a fixed-site service external to such events. Most (80%) were willing to wait an hour for their result, the majority (64%) would not use a service that did not provide individual feedback of results, and almost all (94%) would not use a service if there was a possibility of arrest. Drug-checking stations were found to be only slightly more attractive if they provided detailed results (i.e. substance breakdown in mg) compared with basic results (i.e. substances present/not present). Most of those interviewed (93%) were willing to pay up to $5, and 68% were willing to pay up to $10, per test. In cases where a whole dose would be required for testing, only one-third (33%) reported willingness to do so; they were more likely to be male, younger, less experienced, use drugs more frequently and attend venues/festivals less frequently. The small proportion of individuals willing to donate a whole dose is likely due to the increasing price of pills in Australia (≈$25). In this sample, design features found to be most attractive for festival- or club-based drug-checking services were low wait times, low cost, legal amnesty and individualised feedback.

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