On Tuesday night the council voted to endorse a submission backing draft legislation being submitted to State Parliament by Greens MP Tim Read to trial a free mobile pill-testing service at festivals and a fixed-site laboratory for drug analysis.
The submission provides in-principle support for a trial and offers to deliver a pilot in the municipality.
The vote comes as Mr Andrews refused to change the government’s policy despite a proposal from the Victorian Ambulance Union to test drugs confiscated by police and alert festival-goers via social media.
"There's nothing wrong with a debate about these things,that's fine,but we've been very clear ... even so-called'pure'versions of these drugs can kill you,” Mr Andrews said.
“We won't be sending a green light to people to use them."
The Australian Medical Association and Sydney and Hobart city councils have also supported a pill-testing trial.
In January the City of Port Phillip renewed its call for the state government to allow it to become home to Victoria's first pill-testing trial.
However the government and police remain steadfastly opposed.
“My support of a pill-testing trial is in no way a reflection on Victoria Police’s position on the matter,” Cr Capp said.
“I have the utmost respect for police and know how hard they work every day to make our city a safer place.”
Liberal councillor Philip Le Liu said he understood pill-testing trials were trying to save lives.
“But it’s a very dangerous path to go down when you are giving a stamp of approval to take drugs,” he said.
Cr Reece,who worked as a senior adviser to prime minister Julia Gillard and Victorian premiers Steve Bracks and John Brumby,said a trial in Melbourne would allow the state to build an evidence base to “make policy in this challenging area”.
“What we do know is that drug policy based on old-fashioned notions of “just say no” are not working,” he said. “The experience of other cities is that pill testing can have a positive public health impact in terms of harm minimisation.”
The City of Melbourne is host to some of the state’s largest music festivals at venues such as the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds.
In 2017 more than 20 people were hospitalised and 30 treated by paramedics for drug overdoses after attending Electric Parade,a dance event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
“Overdose and drug-related harm at public events often requires ambulance attendance,” the council report says. “This can divert emergency services from where they are needed elsewhere.