Festival goers have endorsed an Australian-first pill-testing trial at Canberra's Groovin the Moo.
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Thousands of people descended on the University of Canberra for the ACT leg of the travelling music festival on Sunday.
The STA-Safe consortium received a last-minute green light to offer free pill-testing in a mobile laboratory in one of the festival's health tents, with the endorsement of the ACT government and ACT Policing.
The pilot program allowed medical professionals to analyse illicit drugs with an infrared spectrophotometer and inform participants of their contents, in an effort to reduce drug-related harm.
It's understood more than 70 festival goers had already used the service by 7pm, with some dumping their drugs in an amnesty bin filled with bleach after the results were not what they expected.
All attendees interviewed except one backed the trial, with one woman describing it as a "nice compromise".
"It stops people overdosing and keeps them safe," she said.
"No matter how many laws you put in, people are still going to do what they want," one man said. "Most people would rather be safe."
One woman said it was "stupid" to let people test their drugs, as it gave the impression taking pills was OK.
"It's bad that they're encouraging it," she said.
Half a dozen people said they were not sure where the testing was happening, and there was no information about the trial at the festival.
Fairfax Media asked twice for directions to where the pill testing was taking place before being pointed to the correct tent.
Despite assurances from police that people presenting for pill testing would not be targeted, several people said they were concerned about being caught by police or security.
In the lead-up to the trial, it was unclear how the testing area and wider festival would be policed, or whether there would be drug-testing checkpoints outside the university campus.
While there were no police or sniffer dogs at the entry to the festival, security appeared to be searching festival goers' bags thoroughly before allowing them to enter.
One remarked it was the "most intense" bag check she'd ever experienced.
Several security guards and the festival promoter stood at the entry of the health tent where the mobile laboratory was testing drugs, and were seen speaking with three police officers.
After Fairfax Media took a photo of the police outside the tent, the festival promoter demanded the photos be deleted.
Harm minimisation advocates have long pushed for pill-testing at festivals, arguing it had been effective in protecting young people when implemented overseas.
A letter co-signed by a suite of health experts and advocates sent to the promoter this month said allowing the trial would "potentially save lives".
Away from the health tent, at least two festival goers were seen having an adverse reaction to alcohol or drugs.
One woman was seen sitting cross legged near the stage, vomiting pink foam. She was being comforted by a friend, while another went to get water.
Canberra was the only leg of the festival where the pill-testing trial was approved to take place.
About 40 people were charged with drug offences at the Maitland leg on Saturday. A 20-year-old woman was rushed to hospital after a suspected overdose at Groovin the Moo's Adelaide leg on Friday.
