Laboratory Drug Testing
While at-home drug testing kits, like EZ Test Kits, can tell you a certain amount about what is in a sample, those looking for a more detailed analysis may choose services provided by drug testing laboratories. Unfortunately, these facilities are only available in limited locations, meaning not everyone has access to professional drug testing resources. However, in areas in which they operate, these laboratories play a crucial role in coordinating and delivering drug testing and harm reduction initiatives.
How Drug Checking Labs Work
Drug testing - more commonly referred to as drug checking - is carried out in both stationary and mobile laboratories. Fixed sites often have drop-in schedules, whereby members of the public can anonymously bring samples to the lab for analysis at specified times. Results are typically provided within an hour, and harm reduction experts are usually available on-site to help assist users make more informed decisions relating to consumption, post analysis.
Some stationary labs will only accept drug samples by post, although many offer both mail-in and drop-in services.
Mobile labs are temporary drug-checking facilities that are set up in, or within close proximity to festivals or nightclubs. Attendees can have their drugs tested for impurities, cutting agents and substitutes. Often housed in tents or vans, these spaces are typically installed with the consent of the authorities, offering amnesty to anyone visiting the facility with illegal drugs in their possession.
Pros And Cons
The main advantage of drug checking labs is the accuracy and level of detailed analysis they provide. Many employ a combination of high-tech methods - including infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, immunoassay testing and others – which are capable of detecting a wide array of different substances.
Most importantly, results don’t just indicate what’s in a sample but can determine how much of each ingredient is present. Unlike at-home reagent kits, laboratory testing can reveal the purity and strength of your drugs, which is vital information when it comes to deciding how much to take.
The downside is these labs aren’t always available when and where you need them. Some operate with restricted hours, while those that accept drugs by post often take days or weeks to provide results - not particularly helpful if you’re heading for a night out, or to a festival and need to know if your drugs are safe.
Where To Get Your Drugs Tested
The Loop is the best-known drug checking facility in the UK. In 2016, the NGO began operating mobile laboratories at selected festivals and nightlife events throughout the country. In early 2024, the organisation opened the nation’s first street drug checking service, which runs on the last Saturday of every month in Bristol city centre.
In Wales, meanwhile, WEDINOS (the Welsh Emerging Drugs and Identification of Novel Substances Project) provides drug checking services by post, with results published online one week after samples are received.