Family First congratulates the Queensland LNP government for taking a principled stand by banning pill testing at music festivals.

In the face of pressure from activists and so-called experts, the Crisafulli government has acted to protect young people from the dangerous illusion that taking illicit drugs can ever be “safe.”

Family First has long argued that drug policy must be built on truth, not ideology.

Illicit substances destroy lives, families, and communities.

Pill testing, while dressed up as “harm reduction,” sends the subtle but deadly message that using drugs can be managed responsibly.

The reality is there is no safe way to take dangerous, mind-altering substances.

Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls was right to tell parliament: “We don’t support drug dealers. There’s no safe way to take drugs. Only the Labor Party backed drug dealers in this House.”

LNP MP for Oodgeroo Amanda Stoker put it plainly on Instagram:

“First reason is it cost Queenslanders a million dollars for one year's worth of services, and they only tested 1,530 samples.

“It wasn't value for money. The second reason is it's not the job of the taxpayer to run quality control for organized crime gangs, and that's what pill testing does.

“The third reason is that there's no safe way to take illicit drugs, and that's the subtle message that pill testing sends.

“I get it that not everybody likes it (the decision to ban pill testing) but this is really important.

“If we're going to send a clear message that keeps future generations of kids safe, there is only one message we can send and that is ‘stay away from drugs’.”
Family First applauds this clarity.

Young Queenslanders deserve a future free from the devastation of drug culture.

The right message is the only safe message: Don’t take drugs.