Drug Checking.
Knowing what’s in your supply can help you make safer decisions.
Drug checking uses tools like fentanyl and xylazine test strips to identify certain substances that may be present in a drug sample.
The drug supply is unpredictable. What something looks like, how it is sold, or what you’ve been told it contains cannot reliably tell you what’s actually in it.
YOU CAN’T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT’S IN YOUR SUPPLY.
TEST IT. KNOW MORE. REDUCE RISK.
WHAT DRUG CHECKING CAN TELL YOU.
Drug checking gives you more information about your supply so you can make decisions based on what’s actually present—not just what you were told you were getting.
FENTANYL TEST STRIPS
Fentanyl test strips can detect the presence of fentanyl in a drug sample, including in substances where fentanyl may be unexpected.
A positive result means fentanyl was detected.
XYLAZINE TEST STRIPS
Xylazine test strips can detect the presence of xylazine, a non-opioid sedative increasingly found in the unregulated drug supply.
Naloxone does not reverse xylazine—but always give naloxone during a suspected overdose because opioids may also be present.
DRUG CHECKING GIVES YOU INFORMATION.
IT DOESN’T GUARANTEE SAFETY.
DRUG CHECKING IS ONE TOOL.
Test strips can tell you whether a specific substance was detected in the sample you tested. They cannot tell you how much is present, how strong your supply is, or identify every substance it contains.
And because drugs and adulterants may not be evenly distributed throughout a supply, one test does not guarantee that every portion is the same.
A NEGATIVE TEST DOESN’T MEAN ZERO RISK.
Use drug checking alongside other harm reduction practices: carry naloxone, start low and go slow, avoid using alone when possible, and have a plan in case something goes wrong.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR SUPPLY.
STEP 1
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.
Follow the directions included with your test strips. The amount of water and sample needed may vary depending on the type of strip and what you’re testing.
STEP 2
TEST A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE.
Whenever possible, test a sample that represents the supply you plan to use. Drugs and adulterants may not be evenly distributed.
STEP 3
CHECK YOUR RESULT.
Read the test within the time listed in the instructions. Results read too early or too late may be inaccurate.
STEP 4
USE THE INFORMATION.
A positive result gives you information you can use to reduce risk. A negative result does not guarantee that your supply is free from fentanyl, xylazine, or other unexpected substances.
TESTING DOESN’T MAKE A SUPPLY SAFE.
IT GIVES YOU MORE INFORMATION TO WORK WITH.
A FEW THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT DRUG CHECKING.
TEST EVERY TIME.
The unregulated drug supply can change from batch to batch—and even within the same supply. Past results don’t tell you what’s in what you have today.
POSITIVE DOESN’T MEAN “ALL FENTANYL” OR “ALL XYLAZINE.”
A positive result tells you that the substance was detected. It does not tell you how much is present.
TEST STRIPS HAVE LIMITS.
Test strips are designed to detect specific substances. They cannot identify everything in your supply or tell you how potent it is.
NEGATIVE DOESN’T MEAN “SAFE.”
A negative result means the substance wasn’t detected in the sample tested. It does not guarantee that it isn’t present elsewhere in the supply—or that other unexpected substances aren’t present.
MORE INFORMATION.
MORE OPTIONS.
YOUR DECISIONS ARE YOURS.
KNOW MORE.
REDUCE RISK.
Drug checking can’t make the unregulated drug supply risk-free. It can give you more information about what you’re working with—and more information means more options for making decisions about your own safety.
Your supply. Your information. Your decisions.
HARM REDUCTION STARTS WITH KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE.
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