Canberra's pill-testing facility checked 58 samples in its first month, here's what it found

The CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service on Moore Street tests pills and other drugs for harmful substances.

The service is confidential and people do not need proof of identity to access it.

The facility tested samples of Ketamine, MDMA, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and 6-APB in the first month of its six-month pilot program.

The drugs were analysed by chemists at the ANU Research School of Chemistry.

"Through the CanTEST service we are engaging with a new generation of young consumers, many of whom have never sought advice on their drug consumption before now," Associate Professor David Caldicott from the ANU Medical School said in a statement.

Dr Caldicott helped oversee and run the testing service.

The service helps users to make decisions either not to use drugs, to use them in way that reduces the risk of harm, and to prompt "the conversation that all of them deserve".

"The idea that Australia will ever be 'drug-free' is magical thinking from a bygone era; an era that has singularly failed in the goals which it espoused."

Between July 21 and August 12, staff provided 70 health and alcohol and other drug brief interventions to people who attended, resulting in 18 samples being discarded.

Purity levels of three samples of cocaine tested were below 27 per cent, with one sample found to contain no cocaine and instead dimethyl sulfone.

Samples of ketamine ranged from 36 to 79 per cent purity, and one sample contained fluorexetamine.

Very little is known about the effects or risks associated with fluorexetamine, and the clinic encouraged ketamine users in the ACT to have their drugs checked at CanTEST.

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Six samples of heroin returned purity levels between 31 and 63 per cent, but no fentanyls were identified in any samples tested.

One methamphetamine sample was found to be sugar, while 19 MDMA samples were tested with 13 containing the drug.

The service tested 15 samples for traces of fentanyl, though none were found to contain the "dangerous and potent synthetic opiates", Dr Caldicott said.

"The fact that fentanyl derivatives were not present in any of the samples test is very good news, given these dangerous and potent synthetic opiates have ravaged North America."

The service is run by Directions Health Services with help from Pill Testing Australia and the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy.

The Civic facility is only open on Thursdays from 10am to 1pm and Fridays from 6pm to 9pm.

It is located at City Community Health Centre, 1 Moore Street, Canberra City.

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