Australian First Pill Testing Trial Proves Effective At Canberra Groovin The Moo

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Pic by Jodie Downie

Apr 30th 2018 | 9:25am | Neil Griffiths

Australia's first-ever pill testing trial at Groovin The Moo's Canberra event yesterday has proved to be a massive success, with over 100 punters taking part in the service.

Co-founder of the Street Universities and CEO of Noffs Foundation, Matt Noffs, was instrumental in the trial going ahead and this morning tweeted the results.

128 punters took part in the trial, 85 samples were tested and of that, 50% was found to be pure MDMA, while two samples were deadly.

Here is Australia's first official #pilltesting service in numbers:
128 participants
85 samples tested
50% was 'other' (lactose, sweetener, paint)
50% was pure MDMA
2 of the samples were deadly
So, harm reduced.
We did it.
— Matt Noffs (@mattnoffs) April 29, 2018

Speaking to The Music this morning, Noffs said the results were better than expected, as he was only hoping to attract at least 30 punters, while police were also pleased with the trial.

"Being able to sit down and spend time with these people and giving them information… that was the most important part," Noffs said.

"We made history but this has been happening for many years overseas so I feel like we are just starting to catch up."

Given the success of yesterday's trial, Noffs hopes the ACT Government will look at making pill testing a regular occurrence at music festivals, while he will also look to expand the trial around Australia.

Meanwhile, ABC has reported that the two deadly substances contained "absolutely lethal" N-Ethylpentylone (ephylone).

"We found a Polish toothpaste in one of them; we found arnica, which is a muscle rub; we found Hammerite paint," Dr David Caldicott told ABC Radio Canberra.

"We found a whole bunch of very unusual products in many of these pills that the consumers would regard as duds."

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