Victorian Greens drug harm reduction spokesman Aiv Puglielli said sniffer dogs and tough talk from police and politicians would not stop overdoses.

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“The new premier has said she’s seeking further advice on pill testing. Well, the advice is clear, and it has been for years,” he said. ”This is an opportunity to show courage, listen to the experts and save lives, rather than play to the politics of fear.”

Georgie Purcell, an upper house MP from the Animal Justice Party, said the evidence showed pill testing worked.

“It doesn’t encourage drug use, it simply makes it safer for those who do [use drugs],” she said. “As some of the youngest members of the Victorian Parliament, we know that people take drugs.”

Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne said a drug-checking service would give people the chance to make an informed choice after a concerning start to 2024.

“We appreciate that the premier has opened the door and thank her for coming to the table,” Payne said.

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Drug checking or pill testing, which allows a user to have the contents of their illicit substances analysed before consumption, is being trialled in the ACT and Queensland. Facilities for a mobile service, which could be set up at a tent within a festival, for example, can identify substances and common adulterants in a pill or powder but can’t check purity. A fixed site allows for greater testing capabilities.

NSW Health last week issued a warning over a tablet falsely sold as MDMA that contained a highly potent opioid. A Victorian government spokeswoman said there was no evidence to suggest this drug was in Victoria but that the Department of Health was working with NSW Health and Victoria Police to monitor the situation.

The ACT’s fixed site last month also uncovered three substances never before seen in Australia.

Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto opposes a trial and the Police Association of Victoria said pill testing would not be a panacea for all drug harm.

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