A pill testing clinic under construction in the heart of a major shopping and entertainment precinct is set to open its doors within months.

The service at Brunswick Street in Fitzroy in inner Melbourne will be near public transport, busy nightlife venues, healthcare providers, social services and housing commission towers.

Open Thursday to Saturday, it allows users to check if their illicit drugs contain extra dangerous ingredients, following a trial of mobile sites at music festivals.

The anonymous service is open to people of any age and results should be returned within 20 minutes.

“It’s great that people can test the drugs that they’re going to be taking any way to make sure that everyone’s safe,” local hairdresser Carly Allen told AAP.

Her business Fawn Studio is next door and Allen said people from “lots of different walks of life” visit the street so she wasn’t concerned it would attract drug users.

“These are people who are trying to be conscious with what they’re doing and there’s a service that can make it safe for them so I feel fine about that,” she added.

Another business owner told AAP they noticed more drug users in area in recent years and called on authorities to do more to protect locals, including more police.

It is not a criminal offence for drug-checking facility clients to possess small amounts of illicit substances but Victoria Police has warned drug traffickers can be charged no matter where they operate.

“Officers will not be attending the fixed site unless responding to incidents requiring police attendance,” a spokesperson said.

“Police will continue to enforce against drug offences away from the drug-checking place and seize any illicit substances.”

Mental health and brain sciences expert Dr Amie Hayley said it would provide a reliable, judgement-free space where people could make informed choices about their drug use.

“The location is very appropriate – close to Melbourne nightlife and able to capture vulnerable members of our community,” the Swinburne University senior research fellow said.

City of Yarra mayor Steven Jolly, who represents a ward in Fitzroy, said he had “zero push back” from residents.

Most pills, capsules, powders, crystals and liquids can be tested for highly dangerous synthetic opioids including fentanyl and Nitazenes, which can be fatal.

The results offer real-time drug market surveillance so health authorities can assess new types of synthetic drugs in circulation.

On top of substance checking, the clinic will offer medical and social services support from the Youth Support and Advocacy Service, The Loop Australia and Harm Reduction Victoria.

Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said the service was about saving lives.

“No drug is safe but with testing and open, health-focused conversations, we are helping Victorians make more informed and safer choices,” she said.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin described pill testing as a “flawed” concept and pushed for resources to be directed at rehabilitation services instead.

“We need to focus more on prevention and education, on giving people a pathway out of drug use, not a path further into it,” Battin said.

MDMA, ketamine and cocaine were the main drugs detected from some 1400 samples tested at the trial at five music festivals over summer.

Two-thirds of users said it was their first time having a conversation with a health professional about drug harm reduction and more than 30 per cent said they would take a smaller amount.

Australia’s first fixed-site drug checking service opened in Canberra in 2022.

Source: AAP