The UK’s first licensed drug-checking service is being trialled in Somerset by an addiction charity, where people can take their unknown substances to determine what exactly is in them.
The drop-in service run by Addaction, which opened at the end of February 2019, allows people to have a sample of their drugs checked for free. During their visit, they’re told about the support available to make changes to their lives, and, once they know what’s in the substance, receive advice on how to reduce harm to themselves.
“This is about saving lives,” Addaction’s director of pharmacy, Roz Gittins, who is leading the project, told HuffPost UK. “We know people take drugs. We don’t have to condone it, but nor should we judge people or bury our heads in the sand.
“It’s our job to do whatever we can to help people make informed choices about the risks they’re taking. Checking the content of drugs is a sensible and progressive way to do that.”
Addaction partnered with the University of Hertfordshire, a renowned leader in drug detection research since 2010, in order to open the clinic. The charity has also been supported by The Loop, a not-for-profit which provides drug testing.
“The drug checking service reflects our research vision on improving the identification of the actual content in drug samples, identifying potential sources of severe harm, gaining an understanding of novel trends, and raising relevant alerts,” said Amira Guirguis, from the University of Hertfordshire.
What Is The Benefit Of Drug Testing?
The idea is that if someone is going to take drugs anyway, they might as well be taking something that isn’t a dangerous cocktail of substances. Tests at UK festivals by The Loop have previously detected crushed anti-malarial tablets, plaster of Paris, bodybuilding supplements and sugar in drugs, the BBC reported.
Trials have shown that people who have their drugs tested often decide not to take them, or take less than planned. Gittins said this results in fewer health issues and more information entering the national network of drug alerts.
Don’t Drug-Testing Schemes Exist Already?
Drug-testing schemes have been trialled at various universities and festivals by The Loop since 2016. In the summer of 2018 alone, more than 8,000 people opted to have their drugs tested at music festivals in the UK.
But while those services were carried out with support from local authorities, they didn’t have an official licence from the Home Office – and therefore, would have been conducted slightly differently.
[Read More: 7 ways to talk to teens about drugs]
How Does The New Service Work?
The drug-checking service in Somerset is available to anyone over the age of 18 who gives informed consent and agrees to provide a sample of their substance. They can stay anonymous.
Trained staff complete an on-site test to determine the likely content. The process takes about 10 minutes, during which the owner of the substance completes a short questionnaire so any further advice can be tailored to their needs.
“In the first couple of days of running this service, people gave us a variety of different types of substances to check for them,” Gittins said. “They previously had no way of knowing what was in their illicit substance, or may not have fully understood the potential risks of using it.”
When Can You Visit?
Addaction’s drug-testing pilot runs until 15 March 2019, however the Home Office has granted the charity a licence for drug checking that will last for a year.
People are free to drop in to the centre at 35 Boulevard, Weston-super-Mare between the following times:
:: Wednesday 27 February (10am-5pm)
:: Wednesday 6 March (10am-5pm)
:: Friday 15 March (11am-7pm).
If the pilot is successful, Addaction confirmed there is potential to roll this service out. “We have already had people say that they plan to positively change their drug taking behaviours as a result,” said Gittins.
Need friendly, confidential advice on drugs?
- Contact FRANK on 0300 123 6600 or visit the website for alternative contact methods.