Drug checking trial

Drug Checking Trial

Starting in March 2025, NSW Health, in partnership with NUAA, is launching a 12-month drug checking trial at select music festivals around the state.

Drug Checking is one harm reduction strategy you can follow to help you STAY OK at music festivals. Here are some others to consider:

The safest option is to avoid drugs, but if you do, take precautions to protect yourself.
Stay hydrated, especially in hot weather. Drink water and electrolytes regularly.
Festivals are more enjoyable with friends, so look out for your mates. If someone feels unwell, get help right away. You won’t get in trouble for asking for help.
Signs like overheating, confusion, or difficulty breathing are serious. Seek help immediately - staff at medical services onsite at festivals are there to help, not to judge.
Major festivals also have chill-out zones and harm reduction services. Visit them if you need a break or support.
Set limits, have a sober friend with you, and know where to go for help before you need it.

The goal? To help festival goers make informed, safer choices.

What is drug checking?

Drug checking at NSW music festivals is a free and confidential service where festival goers 18 years and over can provide a small sample of a drug to be checked. Qualified health staff will rapidly identify the main components of the substance and, where possible, provide an indication of potency. Drug checking equipment on site at festivals can identify the main components of most pills, capsules, powders, crystals or liquids.

It is important to note that Drug Checking services cannot provide certainty about all the components in a drug – drug components can be unexpected, and the mixing can be imperfect. The technology being used at the drug checking service may not identify components present in very low amounts. Some less common drug components can cause harm even in very low amounts.

Drug checking services provide a safe space for people to ask questions and get help without judgment. It helps people understand the risks and make informed decisions around drug use. You’ll chat with a trained peer worker who’ll give you advice on how you can stay safe and reduce any risks related to drug use.

This service is all about keeping you safe while having a good time at festivals, helping you make informed decisions, and avoiding harms.

* No phones, cameras or recording devices are allowed to be used within the drug checking space.

How does it work?

The drug checking service will operate inside selected music festivals in NSW. When you enter a drug checking service you’ll talk to a friendly peer worker from NUAA who’ll explain the process. You will be asked to sign a waiver noting the limitations of testing and that testing does not mean that a drug is safe. Your drug will be weighed and photographed and then a small sample will be taken to be checked. A scientist from NSW Health will use portable testing equipment on site to check the sample you provided.

The result? You’ll get information on what’s in the substance you provided and what risks or harms you might face. You’ll have a chat with a peer worker or health staff about the findings and how to Stay OK.

You’ll also have access to amnesty bins for safe disposal if you decide you want to get rid of the drug rather than use it.

Is any drug "safe"?

No! Drug checking does not make drugs safe and using drugs may still harm your health, even if you get them checked. No one can tell you a drug is safe. Drug checking services cannot provide exact information about how a drug will affect you. Drugs affect people differently.

Staff at the drug checking service will give you advice on how to reduce the risks and help you stay up to date about potential harms so you can make informed choices.

Carry Naloxone – it’s safe, easy to use, and can save a life.

What are the benefits?

You get information on what’s in the drug that you bring for testing and how to reduce potential harm. This is all part of creating safer festival environments so you can enjoy the event without putting yourself at risk.

When drug checking detects really harmful substances in drugs this information can be used in public health warnings to help keep more people safe.

Is it private?

Yes. You will be asked a set of questions by the peer staff when you use the service. Information about your drug use, and information about the drug samples you provide for testing, will not be linked to your personal identity. Anonymous data about the service will be shared with an independent evaluator so they can assess how the service is going. You will not be able to be identified in the data or in any reports using the data.

Everyone entering the space will need to put their phones away, so no one will be allowed to take photos or videos or record audio.

The information on drug contents will be used by NSW Health to help keep people informed on high-risk substances. This will be anonymous information – it won’t be linked to your personal identity.

What else is provided?

A trained peer worker from NUAA will discuss the results of the drug you had tested, along with general health and harm reduction advice.

The chat may cover:

information about what is in the drug, and how it may affect you
guidance on safer drug use, potential consequences, and harm reduction strategies to minimise the risks associated with drug use
advice on how to access health services or other support resources

Police or sniffer dogs?

NSW Police Force will continue to assist NSW Health, as the lead agency, to implement the trial safely and effectively.

You will not get into trouble for using the drug checking service. It is legal to use the service.

Please note that police and sniffer dogs may still be present at the festival entrance and may patrol inside the event but will not be present within the medical precinct including the drug checking service.

Ready for safer festival vibes?

This trial will be available at selected festivals for 12 months starting in March 2025, so look out for the drug checking service. The service will usually be near to the medical tent and care space. It’s a great step toward providing a safer festival experience—because having fun should never come at the cost of your safety!