Benefits associated with drug checking:
- Knowledge and Safety – decreased risk of unintentional overdoses and encourage positive changes to consumption patterns
- Connections – introducing clients with wider harm reduction services and supports
- Monitoring – inform public health agencies about potency and quality of drugs currently in circulation which can allow for warning systems and monitoring to be adequately implemented
Barriers associated with drug checking:
- trauma experienced by potential clients from criminalization and stigmatization of substance use
- fear of police presence and surveillance if services are not anonymous and confidential
- lack of funding and resources
- logistic issues and legal complications of working with illicit substances
- stigma and misconceptions
Things to consider:
- Accessibility and portability
- On site services
- Fixed site services
- How accurate is the testing method?
- Consider the adaptability of the technique and ability to detect new compounds
- Can it account for irregularly distributed compounds throughout the drug when in different forms (i.e. pill verses injectable)
- What is the cost of the equipment required for the test, and what qualifications are needed for an individual to perform the test and interpret the results?
- Drug testing strips and reagent kits are the cheapest drug checking option at approximately $0.50 per strip. There is no training required for these methods and they can be utilized by anyone. Smartphone apps are even available to help interpret the results of the test for increased confidence in the results.
- Advanced drug testing methods, such as mass spectrometry and gas chromatography, are much more complicated and thus, more expensive. The equipment for these tests can cost anywhere between $100,000 to $500,000 and require highly trained technicians. The minimal requirement for operating these methods is a degree in analytical chemistry or a related field. Often technicians hold Master’s degree and have years of experience.
- What is the cost to the client?
- Reagent drug test strips may be sold in kits for $20-$25, containing 50 uses.
- Many drug checking sources provide services free of charge to the consumer.
- Depending on the type of test, the amount of substance required to be tested may deter individuals from partaking
- How long does the test take and how soon afterwards will the client be informed of the results?
- Once a sample is collected, the client will receive the results within a few business days (usually 1-3).
- The clients can be informed of the results by phone or by email.
Types of Drug Checking Processes
Drug Testing Strips and Reagent Kits:
| Pros | Cons |
| – fast | – cannot quantify amount of substance in sample |
| – affordable and accessible | – risk of false negatives |
| – can be used for injectable drugs, powder or pills | – lack of precision, unable to detect all analogues |
| – can be used on site or at home |
Example: Colorimetric Reagent Tests This technique involves the addition of a chemical liquid reagent to a sample of the crushed pill or powder. The resulting colour will be compared to a colour chart provided by the manufacturers and from this, the compounds present in the sample can be identified. Multiple successive tests are often used in a process of elimination with different reagents to determine adulterants in the sample. This method is limited in accuracy and range as it is not able to identify new compounds that are not included on the colour chart and cannot quantify the contents of the sample. However, this technique does provide rapid results and is inexpensive and therefore has been beneficial for on-site drug checking and in harm reduction intervention.
Advanced Drug Testing Methods (analytical technologies including high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry):
| Pros | Cons |
| – highly accurate | – expensive |
| – potential for non-destructive testing (sample can be returned to client) | – requires trained professional |
| – results are not immediate |
Example: Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) This technology measures the amount of infrared radiation absorbed by a compound at varying wavelengths. From measuring the unique absorption behaviour, identification of a wide range of compounds can be accomplished. This technology works very quickly, is easy to use, and can be used in both stationary and mobile settings, making it ideal in high traffic situations. It is more accurate than other on site drug checking methods and it does not destroy the sample being tested, enabling its return to the client. However, its ability to distinguish between compounds with highly similar chemical structures such as opioids is relatively unknown, and quantitative analysis can not be completed without additional analytical tools.
Spotlight on: Amplifi Trace Drug ID Kit by Spectra Plasmonics – this hand held device can instantly detect amounts of harmful contaminants like fentanyl that have been added to a common street drug. It can be used at consumption sites by first responders or law enforcement officers.
“On-site results take minutes versus months of wait-time from overrun labs. At a safe injection site, this means a person can pre-test drugs for deadly substances before safely injecting them.”
-Launch Lab on Spectra Plasmonics’ new life-saving technology to combat the opioid crisis
For more information, please refer to the Evidence Review Report completed by the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use:
Kerr, T. and Tupper, K. (2017). Drug Checking as a Harm Reduction Intervention, Evidence Review Report. British Columbia Centre on Substance Use. Retrieved from https://www.bccsu.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Drug-Checking-Evidence-Review-Report.pdf
Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario), Leece, P. (2017). Evidence Brief: Evidence on drug checking services as a harm reduction intervention. Retrieved from https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/E/2017/eb-drug-checking.pdf?la=en
Wallace, B., Roode, T., Pagan, F., Phillips, P., Wagner, H., Calder, S., Aasen, J., Pauly, B. and Hore, D. (2020). What is needed for implementing drug checking services in the connect of the overdose crisis? A qualitative study to explore perspectives of potential service users. Harm Reduction Journal. 17(29).