Advocates of pill testing are calling for a trial at a Canberra music festival next weekend, despite a lack of support from major political parties.
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Supporters of the practice have said it should be rolled out to smaller events before moving on to larger festivals in other states in order to prevent overdose deaths.
It comes as thousands of festival goers are set to descend on Commonwealth Park for the Spilt Milk festival on Saturday, which will see artists such as recent ARIA-winner Flume take to the stage.
Pill testing involves testing illegally purchased drugs such as ecstasy or MDMA for dangerous chemicals or substances.
Executive director of drug law reform group Unharm, Will Tregonning, said pill testing was already carried out in other countries around the world and that festivals in Australia should follow suit, including those in Canberra.
"What we want is for pill testing to be a routine part of the approach to promote safety and wellbeing at these events," he said.
"Australia has one of the highest per capita rates of ecstasy consumption in the world and it seems to be one of the most contaminated."
Calls for pill testing at music festivals have been growing following six drug-related deaths at music festivals last year.
Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Alex Wodak said pill testing would allow for music festivals to be made safer for young people.
"People in their teens and early 20s are going to music festivals, and whether you like it or not, they will be taking drugs," he said.
"One of the things that pill testing does it that help it helps to change the nature of the market ... by making [drug taking] safer."
Mr Wodak said while festival goers and senior police had been supportive of pill testing, politicians are yet to get behind potential trials.
An ACT government spokesman said the government's current approach was focused around harm minimisation methods.
"There is currently no law prohibiting the creation, possession or supply of drug-testing kits. However, [pill testing] is not a government-endorsed approach and the possession of illicit drugs remains an offence," the spokesman said.
Canberra Liberals legal affairs spokesman Jeremy Hanson said pill testing "gives drug dealers the ability to certify their illegal products".
ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said his party was advocating for a Canberra-wide trial.
While the Greens ran on a platform of a pill-testing trial at the recent election, the measure was not included in the parliamentary agreement with ACT Labor.
"I wrote to Andrew Barr on November 9 asking him to look into pill testing as a matter of urgency. I am disappointed we were not able to use this opportunity this year," Mr Rattenbury said.
"For a pill-testing trial to be successful, it will require the co-operation of health experts, police, government, festival organisers and the broader community."
A spokesman for ACT Police said drug use would be targeted by officers at Spilt Milk next weekend.
The organisers of Spilt Milk did not comment when asked whether they supported a trial of pill testing taking place at the festival.
