Drug checking services for people who use drugs: a systematic review

Maghsoudi, Nazlee; Tanguay, Justine; Scarfone, Kristy; Rammohan, Indhu; Ziegler, Carolyn; Werb, Dan; Scheim, Ayden I.

doi:10.1111/add.15734

Cited by 261HIV, Drug Use, Sexual RiskForensic Toxicology and Drug AnalysisSubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Drug checking services for people who use drugs: a systematic review

Open access

Maghsoudi, Nazlee, Tanguay, Justine, Scarfone, Kristy, Rammohan, Indhu, Ziegler, Carolyn, Werb, Dan, Scheim, Ayden I.·2022·Addiction

DOI 10.1111/add.15734PMC PMC9299873

Open this paper in CoChat — free account Open PDF

Abstract

Background and Aims: Drug checking services provide people who use drugs with chemical analysis results of their drug samples while simultaneously monitoring the unregulated drug market. We sought to identify and synthesize literature on the following domains: (a) the influence of drug checking services on the behaviour of people who use drugs; (b) monitoring of drug markets by drug checking services; and (c) outcomes related to models of drug checking services. Methods: Systematic review. A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and Dissertations and Theses Global. Eligible studies were peer‐reviewed articles and conference abstracts or grey literature, published in any language since 1990 and including original data on the domains. We assessed risk of bias for quantitative peer‐reviewed articles reporting on behaviour or models of drug checking services using National Institutes of Health tools. Results: We screened 2463 titles and abstracts and 156 full texts, with 90 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Most ( n = 65, 72.2%) were from Europe and used cross‐sectional designs ( n = 79, 87.7%). Monitoring of drug markets by drug checking services ( n = 63, 70%) was the most reported domain, followed by the influence of drug checking services on behaviour ( n = 31, 34.4%), including intent to use, actual use and disposal of the drug, and outcomes related to models of drug checking services ( n = 17, 18.9%). The most common outcome measures were detection of unexpected substances ( n = 50, 55.6%), expected substances ( n = 44, 48.9%), new psychoactive substances ( n = 40, 44.4%) and drugs of concern ( n = 32, 36.5%) by drug checking services. Conclusions: Drug checking services appear to influence behavioural intentions and the behaviour of people who use drugs, particularly when results from drug checking services are unexpected or drugs of concern. Monitoring of drug markets by drug checking services is well established in Europe, and increasingly in North America. Concerns about drug contents and negative health consequences facilitate the use of drug checking services; lack of concern; trust in drug sellers; lack of accessibility of drug checking services; and legal and privacy concerns are barriers to use.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1111/add.15734

Cites

86 of 86 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Stimulant use disorder treatment outcomes are affected by racial, ethnic, and gender disparities.
“evidence suggests that treatment outcomes for StUD are impacted by racial-, ethnic-, and gender-related disparities.[206][207][208][209][210]”
From The ASAM/AAAP Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder (2024) · cites this paper as [207]
The Results (Outcome measures; page not provided) discuss drug-checking services and drug-use behaviour, not treatment outcomes for stimulant use disorder. Searches for racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in those treatment outcomes found no relevant passage in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., et al. (2021) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.n71 · Cited by 108,283 · see citing works
PRESS Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies: 2015 Guideline Statement
McGowan, J., Sampson, M., Salzwedel, D. M., Cogo, E., Foerster, V., & Lefebvre, C. (2016) · Journal of Clinical Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.01.021 · Cited by 5,700 · cited 1× · see citing works
“…strategy was peer-reviewed by a librarian outside the review team using the guideline for Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS) [17] We used medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords, adapted for each database, related to DCS (including service names from a global review of…”
The Intention–Behavior Gap
Sheeran, P., & Webb, T. L. (2016) · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · doi:10.1111/spc3.12265 · Cited by 2,185 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Key methodological limitations among studies reporting on behaviour of PWUD include cross-sectional designs and behavioural intention measures subject to the intention – behaviour gap [113].”
Guidance on the conduct of narrative synthesis in systematic reviews: A product from the ESRC Methods Programme
Popay, J., Roberts, H., Sowden, A., Petticrew, M., Arai, L., Rodgers, M., Britten, N., Roen, K., & Duffy, S. (2006) · Lancaster University · doi:10.13140/2.1.1018.4643 · Cited by 2,070 · cited 1× · see citing works
“We used narrative synthesis without meta-analysis [21] for data analysis.”
Methodological quality (risk of bias) assessment tools for primary and secondary medical studies: what are they and which is better?
Ma, L.-L., Wang, Y.-Y., Yang, Z.-H., Huang, D., Weng, H., & Zeng, X.-T. (2020) · Military Medical Research · doi:10.1186/s40779-020-00238-8 · Cited by 1,648 · see citing works
An overview of forensic drug testing methods and their suitability for harm reduction point-of-care services
Harper, L., Powell, J., & Pijl, E. M. (2017) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-017-0179-5 · Cited by 339 · see citing works
Fentanyl test strips as an opioid overdose prevention strategy: Findings from a syringe services program in the Southeastern United States
Peiper, N. C., Clarke, S. D., Vincent, L. B., Ciccarone, D., Kral, A. H., & Zibbell, J. E. (2019) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.08.007 · Cited by 317 · see citing works
Initial results of a drug checking pilot program to detect fentanyl adulteration in a Canadian setting
Tupper, K. W., McCrae, K., Garber, I., Lysyshyn, M., & Wood, E. (2018) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.06.020 · Cited by 238 · see citing works
Instability of the ecstasy market and a new kid on the block: mephedrone
Brunt, T. M., der Meer, A. P.-V., Niesink, R. J. M., & van den Brink, W. (2010) · Journal of Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1177/0269881110378370 · Cited by 216 · see citing works
Evaluation of a fentanyl drug checking service for clients of a supervised injection facility, Vancouver, Canada
Karamouzian, M., Dohoo, C., Forsting, S., McNeil, R., Kerr, T., & Lysyshyn, M. (2018) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-018-0252-8 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
Use of rapid fentanyl test strips among young adults who use drugs
Krieger, M. S., Goedel, W. C., Buxton, J. A., Lysyshyn, M., Bernstein, E., Sherman, S. G., Rich, J. D., Hadland, S. E., Green, T. C., & Marshall, B. D. L. (2018) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.09.009 · Cited by 189 · see citing works
Perspectives on rapid fentanyl test strips as a harm reduction practice among young adults who use drugs: a qualitative study
Goldman, J. A., Waye, K. M., Periera, K. A., Krieger, M. S., Yedinak, J. L., & Marshall, B. D. L. (2019) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-018-0276-0 · Cited by 185 · see citing works
Drug testing in Europe: monitoring results of the Trans European Drug Information (TEDI) project
Brunt, T. M., Nagy, C., Bücheli, A., Martins, D., Ugarte, M., Béduwé, C., & Vilamala, M. V. (2016) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.1954 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Drug safety testing, disposals and dealing in an English field: Exploring the operational and behavioural outcomes of the UK’s first onsite ‘drug checking’ service
Measham, F. C. (2018) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.11.001 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Acceptability of implementing community-based drug checking services for people who use drugs in three United States cities: Baltimore, Boston and Providence
Sherman, S. G., Morales, K. B., Park, J. N., McKenzie, M., Marshall, B. D. L., & Green, T. C. (2019) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.03.003 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
New psychoactive substances as adulterants of controlled drugs. A worrying phenomenon?
Giné, C. V., Fornís, I., & Vilamala, M. V. (2014) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.1610 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
An outbreak of novel psychoactive substance benzodiazepines in the unregulated drug supply: Preliminary results from a community drug checking program using point-of-care and confirmatory methods
Laing, M. K., Ti, L., Marmel, A., Tobias, S., Shapiro, A. M., Laing, R. R., Lysyshyn, M., & Socias, M. E. (2021) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103169 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Trusting the source: The potential role of drug dealers in reducing drug-related harms via drug checking
Bardwell, G., Boyd, J., Arredondo, J., McNeil, R., & Kerr, T. H. (2019) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.01.035 · Cited by 117 · see citing works
Monitoring new psychoactive substances (NPS) in The Netherlands: Data from the drug market and the Poisons Information Centre
Hondebrink, L., Lonkhuyzen, J. J. N., van der Gouwe, D., & Brunt, T. M. (2014) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.11.033 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
Being “hooked up” during a sharp increase in the availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl: Adaptations of drug using practices among people who use drugs (PWUD) in New York City
McKnight, C. A., & Jarlais, D. C. D. (2018) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.08.004 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Pharmacological content of tablets sold as “ecstasy”: Results from an online testing service
Tanner‐Smith, E. E. (2005) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.11.016 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Pill testing or drug checking in Australia: Acceptability of service design features
Barratt, M. J., Bruno, R., Ezard, N., & Ritter, A. J. (2017) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/dar.12576 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B): presence in the recreational drug market in Spain, pattern of use and subjective effects
Caudevilla, F., Jordi Riba, A., Ventura, M., González, D., Farré, M., Barbanoj, M. J., & Bouso, J. C. (2012) · Journal of Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1177/0269881111431752 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
An analysis of cocaine powder in the Netherlands: content and health hazards due to adulterants
Brunt, T. M., Rigter, S., Hoek, J., Vogels, N., Dijk, P. V., & Niesink, R. J. M. (2009) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02532.x · Cited by 95 · see citing works
Who is ‘Molly’? MDMA adulterants by product name and the impact of harm-reduction services at raves
Saleemi, S., Pennybaker, S. J., Wooldridge, M., & Johnson, M. W. (2017) · Journal of Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1177/0269881117715596 · Cited by 95 · see citing works
“We don’t got that kind of time, man. We’re trying to get high!”: Exploring potential use of drug checking technologies among structurally vulnerable people who use drugs
Bardwell, G., Boyd, J., Tupper, K. W., & Kerr, T. H. (2019) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.06.018 · Cited by 95 · see citing works
Content of ecstasy in the Netherlands: 1993–2008
Vogels, N., Brunt, T. M., Rigter, S., Dijk, P. V., Vervaeke, H., & Niesink, R. J. M. (2009) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02707.x · Cited by 95 · see citing works
The Drug Information and Monitoring System (DIMS) in the Netherlands: Implementation, results, and international comparison
Brunt, T. M., & Niesink, R. J. M. (2011) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.323 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Linking the pharmacological content of ecstasy tablets to the subjective experiences of drug users
Brunt, T. M., Koeter, M. W. J., Niesink, R. J. M., & van den Brink, W. (2011) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-011-2529-4 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
City checking: Piloting the UK's first community‐based drug safety testing (drug checking) service in 2 city centres
Measham, F. C. (2020) · British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology · doi:10.1111/bcp.14231 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Results of an international drug testing service for cryptomarket users
Caudevilla, F., Ventura, M., Fornís, I., Barratt, M. J., Giné, C. V., Gil, C., Quintana, P., Muñoz, A. P. J., & Calzada, N. (2016) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.04.017 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Evaluation of a drug checking service at a large scale electronic music festival in Portugal
Valente, H., Martins, D., Carvalho, H., Pires, C. V., Carvalho, M. C., Pinto, M., & Barratt, M. J. (2019) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.007 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
A new quantitative drug checking technology for harm reduction: Pilot study in Vancouver, Canada using paper spray mass spectrometry
Borden, S. A., Saatchi, A., Vandergrift, G. W., Palaty, J., Lysyshyn, M., & Gill, C. G. (2021) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/dar.13370 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Ecstasy Use at Large-Scale Dance Events in the Netherlands
van de Wijngaart, Braam, R., de Bruin, D., Fris, M., Maalsté, N., & Verbraeck, H. T. (1999) · Journal of Drug Issues · doi:10.1177/002204269902900313 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
The detection and prevention of unintentional consumption of DOx and 25x‐NBOMe at Portugal's Boom Festival
Martins, D., Barratt, M. J., Pires, C. V., Carvalho, H., Vilamala, M. V., Fornís, I., & Valente, H. (2017) · Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental · doi:10.1002/hup.2608 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
“I couldn't live with killing one of my friends or anybody”: A rapid ethnographic study of drug sellers’ use of drug checking
Betsos, A., Valleriani, J., Boyd, J., Bardwell, G., Kerr, T. H., & McNeil, R. (2020) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102845 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
The hidden web and the fentanyl problem: Detection of ocfentanil as an adulterant in heroin
Quintana, P., Ventura, M., Grifell, M., Palma, Á., Galindo, L., Fornís, I., Gil, C., Carbón, X., Caudevilla, F., Farré, M., et al. (2016) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.10.006 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Purity, adulteration and price of drugs bought on‐line versus off‐line in the Netherlands
van der Gouwe, D., Brunt, T. M., van Laar, M., & van der Pol, P. (2016) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.13720 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
The potential impacts of community drug checking within the overdose crisis: qualitative study exploring the perspective of prospective service users
Wallace, B., van Roode, T., Pagan, F., Hore, D. K., & Pauly, B. (2021) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11243-4 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Intentions, actions and outcomes: A follow up survey on harm reduction practices after using an English festival drug checking service
Measham, F. C., & Turnbull, G. (2021) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103270 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
MONITORING SYNTHETIC DRUG MARKETS, TRENDS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Spruit, I. P. (2001) · Substance Use & Misuse · doi:10.1081/ja-100000227 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Something New about Something Old: A 10-Year Follow-Up on Classical and New Psychoactive Tryptamines and Results of Analysis
Palma, Á., Ventura, M., Galindo, L., Fonseca, F., Grifell, M., Quintana, P., Fornís, I., Gil, C., Farré, M., & Torrens, M. (2017) · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs · doi:10.1080/02791072.2017.1320732 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
mCPP: an undesired addition to the ecstasy market
Bossong, M. G., Brunt, T. M., Dijk, J. V., Rigter, S., Hoek, J., Goldschmidt, H. M. J., & Niesink, R. J. M. (2009) · Journal of Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1177/0269881109102541 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Drug checking services at music festivals and events in a Canadian setting
McCrae, K., Tobias, S., Tupper, K. W., Arredondo, J., Henry, B., Mema, S. C., Wood, E., & Ti, L. (2019) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107589 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Drug checking at an electronic dance music festival during the public health overdose emergency in British Columbia
Mema, S. C., Sage, C., Xu, Y., Tupper, K. W., Ziemianowicz, D. S., McCrae, K., Leigh, M., Munn, M. B., Taylor, D., & Corneil, T. (2018) · Canadian Journal of Public Health · doi:10.17269/s41997-018-0126-6 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Evaluating networked drug checking services in Toronto, Ontario: study protocol and rationale
Drug Checking Services in Toronto Working Group, Maghsoudi, N., McDonald, K., Stefan, C., Beriault, D. R., Mason, K., Barnaby, L., Altenberg, J., MacDonald, R. D., Caldwell, J., et al. (2020) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-019-0336-0 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Self-citation
Pill testing, ecstasy and prevention: a scientific evaluation in three European cities.
Korf, D. J., Benschop, A., & Rabes, M. (2002) · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Drug checking as a harm reduction tool for recreational drug users: opportunities and challenges.
Brunt, T. M. (2017) · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Crystals and tablets in the Spanish ecstasy market 2000–2014: Are they the same or different in terms of purity and adulteration?
Giné, C. V., Vilamala, M. V., Fornís, I., Gil, C., Álvarez, N. C., Fruitós, A. F., Rodríguez, J. R., Domingo‐Salvany, A., & de la Torre, R. (2016) · Forensic Science International · doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.04.016 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Time-Series Analysis of Fentanyl Concentration in the Unregulated Opioid Drug Supply in a Canadian Setting
Tobias, S., Grant, C. J., Laing, R. R., Arredondo, J., Lysyshyn, M., Buxton, J. A., Tupper, K. W., Wood, E., & Ti, L. (2021) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/aje/kwab129 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
The utility of drug checking services as monitoring tools and more: A response to Pirona et al.
Giné, C. V., Vilamala, M. V., Measham, F. C., Brunt, T. M., Bücheli, A., Paulos, C., Valente, H., Martins, D., Libois, B., Tögel-Lins, K., et al. (2017) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.05.018 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Drug checking identifies counterfeit alprazolam tablets
Tobias, S., Shapiro, A. M., Grant, C. J., Patel, P., Lysyshyn, M., & Ti, L. (2020) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108300 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Observed Benefits to On-site Medical Services during an Annual 5-day Electronic Dance Music Event with Harm Reduction Services
Munn, M. B., Lund, A., Golby, R., & Turris, S. A. (2016) · Prehospital and Disaster Medicine · doi:10.1017/s1049023x16000054 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Online test purchased new psychoactive substances in 5 different European countries: A snapshot study of chemical composition and price
Brunt, T. M., Atkinson, A. M., Néfau, T., Martinez, M., Lahaie, E., Malzcewski, A., Pazitny, M., Běláčková, V., & Brandt, S. D. (2017) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.03.006 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
The importance of drug checking outside the context of nightlife in Slovenia
Sande, M., & Šabić, S. (2018) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-018-0208-z · Cited by 49 · see citing works
4‐Fluoroamphetamine in the Netherlands: more than a one‐night stand
Linsen, F., Koning, R. P. J., van Laar, M., Niesink, R. J. M., Koeter, M. W. J., & Brunt, T. M. (2015) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.12932 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Drug checking at dance festivals: A review with recommendations to increase generalizability of findings.
Palamar, J. J., Fitzgerald, N. D., Keyes, K. M., & Cottler, L. B. (2021) · Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1037/pha0000452 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Presence and composition of cathinone derivatives in drug samples taken from a Drug Test Service in Spain (2010–2012)
Caudevilla, F., Ventura, M., Ruiz, B. I. I., & Fornís, I. (2013) · Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental · doi:10.1002/hup.2296 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Patterns of use and toxicity of new para‐halogenated substituted cathinones: 4‐ CMC (clephedrone), 4‐ CEC (4‐chloroethcatinone) and 4‐ BMC (brephedrone)
Grifell, M., Ventura, M., Carbón, X., Quintana, P., Galindo, L., Palma, Á., Fornís, I., Gil, C., Farré, M., & Torrens, M. (2017) · Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental · doi:10.1002/hup.2621 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Monitoring Ecstasy Content in France: Results From the National Surveillance System 1999–2004
Giraudon, I., & Bello, P. (2007) · Substance Use & Misuse · doi:10.1080/10826080701212428 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Xylazine Identified in the Unregulated Drug Supply in British Columbia, Canada
Tobias, S., Shapiro, A. M., Wu, H., & Ti, L. (2020) · The Canadian Journal of Addiction · doi:10.1097/cxa.0000000000000089 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Updating the list of known opioids through identification and characterization of the new opioid derivative 3,4-dichloro-N-(2-(diethylamino)cyclohexyl)-N-methylbenzamide (U-49900)
Fabregat‐Safont, D., Carbón, X., Ventura, M., Fornís, I., Guillamón, E., Sancho, J. V., Hernández, F. J., & Ibáñez, M. (2017) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-017-06778-9 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Adulterants and altruism: A qualitative investigation of “drug checkers” in North America
Palamar, J. J., Acosta, P., Sutherland, R., Shedlin, M. G., & Barratt, M. J. (2019) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.09.017 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
MDMA on the Street: Analysis Anonymous®
Cl, R. (1986) · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs · doi:10.1080/02791072.1986.10472371 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
4-Methyl-amphetamine: a health threat for recreational amphetamine users
Blanckaert, P., van Amsterdam, J., Brunt, T. M., Jdj, V. D. B., Durme, F. V., Maudens, K. E. K., & van Bussel, J. C. H. (2013) · Journal of Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1177/0269881113487950 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Ecstasy Use and Policy Responses in the Netherlands
Spruit, I. P. (1999) · Journal of Drug Issues · doi:10.1177/002204269902900312 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Detection of synthetic cannabinoid adulteration in the unregulated drug supply in three Canadian settings
Ti, L., Tobias, S., Maghsoudi, N., Milloy, M., McDonald, K., Shapiro, A. M., Beriault, D. R., Stefan, C., Lysyshyn, M., & Werb, D. (2020) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/dar.13237 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citation
Reporting the novel synthetic cathinone 5-PPDI through its analytical characterization by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance
Fabregat‐Safont, D., Carbón, X., Gil, C., Ventura, M., Sancho, J. V., Hernández, F. J., & Ibáñez, M. (2018) · Forensic Toxicology · doi:10.1007/s11419-018-0422-0 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
The effect of injecting alone on the use of drug checking services among people who inject drugs
McCrae, K., Hayashi, K., Bardwell, G., Nosova, E., Milloy, M., Wood, E., & Ti, L. (2020) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102756 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
CHECK!NG: A última fronteira para a Redução de Riscos em contextos festivos
Martins, D., Valente, H., & Pires, C. V. (2015) · Saúde e Sociedade · doi:10.1590/s0104-12902015000200020 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Is expected substance type associated with timing of drug checking service utilization?: A cross-sectional study
Beaulieu, T., Wood, E., Tobias, S., Lysyshyn, M., Patel, P., Matthews, J., & Ti, L. (2021) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-021-00514-3 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Identification and characterization of a putative new psychoactive substance, 2‐(2‐(4‐chlorophenyl)acetamido)‐3‐methylbutanamide, in Spain
Fabregat‐Safont, D., Fornís, I., Ventura, M., Gil, C., Calzada, N., Sancho, J. V., Hernández, F. J., & Ibáñez, M. (2017) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.2182 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Impact of a transient instability of the ecstasy market on health concerns and drug use patterns in The Netherlands
Brunt, T. M., Niesink, R. J. M., & van den Brink, W. (2011) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2011.05.016 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Drug Checking: Monitoring the Contents of New Synthetic Drugs
Schroers, A. (2002) · Journal of Drug Issues · doi:10.1177/002204260203200219 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Street Drug Analysis and Community Based Drug Programs
Smith, D. E. (1974) · Journal of Psychedelic Drugs · doi:10.1080/02791072.1974.10471824 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Characterization of a recently detected halogenated aminorex derivative: para-fluoro-4-methylaminorex (4′F-4-MAR)
Fabregat‐Safont, D., Carbón, X., Ventura, M., Fornís, I., Hernández, F. J., & Ibáñez, M. (2019) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-44830-y · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Report on Canberra GTM Harm Reduction Service.
Makka, T., Macleod, M., Vumbaca, G., Hill, P., Caldicott, D. G. E., Noffs, M., Tzanetis, S., & Hansen, F. Ø. (2018) · Cited by 13 · see citing works
The utility of visual appearance in predicting the composition of street opioids
McCrae, K., Wood, E., Lysyshyn, M., Tobias, S., Wilson, D., Arredondo, J., & Ti, L. (2021) · Substance Abuse · doi:10.1080/08897077.2020.1864569 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Drug checking service: good practice standards.
Ventura, M., Noijen, J., Bücheli, A., Isvy, A., Huyck, C. V., Martins, D., Nagy, C., Schipper, V., Ugarte, M., & Valente, H. (2012) · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Identifying Cocaine Adulteration in the Unregulated Drug Supply in British Columbia, Canada
Patel, P., Guzman, S., Lysyshyn, M., Buxton, J. A., Kuo, M. E., Tobias, S., Matthews, J., Arredondo, J., & Ti, L. (2021) · The Canadian Journal of Addiction · doi:10.1097/cxa.0000000000000112 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
New designer benzodiazepines use in Barcelona
González, S. P., Dios, M. D., Monteagudo-Gimeno, E., Sanagustín, D., Trabsa, A., Grifell, M., Galindo, L., Mathe, P. Q., & Torrens, M. (2017) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1758 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
The synthetic cannabinoids: JWH, four years of analysis
Galindo, L., Grifell, M., Quintana, P., Palma, Á., Tirado, J., Ventura, M., Fornís, I., Torrens, M., & Farré, M. (2016) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.123 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Analysing heroin samples as harm reduction intervention - prevalence of adulteration with fentanyl derivatives
Berengué, M. R., Grifell, M., Gil, I. G., Valenzuela, J. J. F., Frings, M. P., Ventura, M., Fonseca, F., & Torrens, M. (2019) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.708 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
P.6.d.015 A trip to the unknown: 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine (DOC) sold as LSD: study on samples delivered by users asking for substance analysis
Grifell, M., Palma, Á., Ventura, M., Fornís, I., Dinamarca, F., Torrens, M., Galindo, L., Quintana, P., González, L., & Farré, M. (2015) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/s0924-977x(15)30876-2 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
U-47700: The new emerging opioid drug
Bosqued, D. S., Dios, M. D., Monteagudo-Gimeno, E., Gonzaléz, S. P., Trabsa, A., Galindo, L., Grifell, M., Mathe, P. Q., & Torrens, M. (2017) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.02.452 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Is methylone a new public health threat in Spain?
Monteagudo-Gimeno, E., Dios, M. D., Trabsa, A., Grifell, M., Galindo, L., Quintana, P., Palma, Á., Ventura, M., Sanagustín, D., Pérez, S. R., et al. (2017) · European Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1749 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Flagged first, then by citations

1 of the 87 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 6

[5]Barratt M, Kowalski M, Maier L, Ritter A. Global Review of Drug Checking Services Operating in 2017. Sydney, Australia: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney; 2018.
[9]Leece P. Evidence Brief: Drug checking Services as a Harm Reduction Intervention. Cambridge, ON: Public Health Ontario; 2017.
[16]Maghsoudi N, Werb D, Scheim A, Tanguay J, Ziegler C. The implementation of drug checking services for people who use drugs: a systematic review. PROSPERO: international prospective register of systematic reviews. 2018. CRD42018105366. Available at: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=105366 PMC9299873 34729849
[57]Martins D, Valente H, Pires C. CHECK!NG: the last frontier for harm reduction in party settings. Saúde Sociedade. 2015; 24: 646– 60.
[60]Sibbald K, Rushton W, King J, Charlton N. Adulterants in tablets sold as ecstasy in the US from 2009–2013. Clin Toxicol. 2014; 52: 704– 5.
[66]Delile J‐M, Gachie J‐P. Ecstasy and risk reduction: The place of "testing" and substance analyses. Alcool Addictol. 2002; 24: 311– 8.

Sorted by citations

Charting the fourth wave: Geographic, temporal, race/ethnicity and demographic trends in polysubstance fentanyl overdose deaths in the United States, 2010–2021
Friedman, J. R., & Shover, C. L. (2023) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.16318 · Cited by 327 · see citing works
Prevalence of fentanyl in methamphetamine and cocaine samples collected by community-based drug checking services
Wagner, K. D., Fiuty, P., Page, K. A., Tracy, E. C., Nocera, M., Miller, C. W., Tarhuni, L., & Dasgupta, N. (2023) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110985 · Cited by 125 · see citing works
Xylazine in Overdose Deaths and Forensic Drug Reports in US States, 2019-2022
Cano, M. N., Daniulaityte, R., & Marsiglia, F. F. (2024) · JAMA Network Open · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50630 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
The impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on drug overdose-related deaths in the United States and Canada: a systematic review of observational studies and analysis of public health surveillance data
Imtiaz, S., Nafeh, F., Russell, C., Ali, F., Elton-Marshall, T., & Rehm, J. (2021) · Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy · doi:10.1186/s13011-021-00423-5 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Nitazenes—Heralding a Second Wave for the UK Drug-Related Death Crisis?
Holland, A., Copeland, C. S., Shorter, G. W., Connolly, D. J., Wiseman, A., Mooney, J., Fenton, K., & Harris, M. (2024) · The Lancet Public Health · doi:10.1016/s2468-2667(24)00001-x · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Fake anabolic androgenic steroids on the black market – a systematic review and meta-analysis on qualitative and quantitative analytical results found within the literature
Magnolini, R., Falcato, L., Cremonesi, A., Schori, D., & Bruggmann, P. (2022) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-022-13734-4 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Perspectives of people in Philadelphia who use fentanyl/heroin adulterated with the animal tranquilizer xylazine; Making a case for xylazine test strips
Reed, M. K., Imperato, N. S., Bowles, J. M., Salcedo, V. J., Guth, A., & Rising, K. L. (2022) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports · doi:10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100074 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Point-of-care community drug checking technologies: an insider look at the scientific principles and practical considerations
Gozdzialski, L., Wallace, B. B., & Hore, D. K. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00764-3 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
The ASAM/AAAP Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder
(2024) · Journal of Addiction Medicine · doi:10.1097/adm.0000000000001299 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
What is drug checking, anyway?
Barratt, M. J., & Measham, F. C. (2022) · Drugs Habits and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0007 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Ethical and Practical Considerations for the Use of Psychedelics in Psychiatry
Barber, G., & Dike, C. C. (2023) · Psychiatric Services · doi:10.1176/appi.ps.20220525 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
“They sent it away for testing and it was all bunk”: Exploring perspectives on drug checking among steroid consumers in Queensland, Australia
Piatkowski, T. M., Puljević, C., Francis, C., Ferris, J., & Dunn, M. (2023) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104139 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
A Realist Review of How Community-Based Drug Checking Services Could Be Designed and Implemented to Promote Engagement of People Who Use Drugs
Masterton, W., Falzon, D., Burton, G., Carver, H., Wallace, B., Aston, E., Sumnall, H. R., Measham, F. C., Gittins, R., Craik, V., et al. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph191911960 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
A survey of North American drug checking services operating in 2022
Park, J. N., Tardif, J., Thompson, E., Rosen, J. G., Lira, J. A. S., & Green, T. C. (2023) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104206 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Defining what we mean by “polysubstance use.”
Bunting, A. M., Shearer, R. D., Linden‐Carmichael, A. N., Williams, A. R., Comer, S. D., Cerdá, M., & Lorvick, J. (2023) · The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse · doi:10.1080/00952990.2023.2248360 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
The world's first anabolic-androgenic steroid testing trial: A two-phase pilot combining chemical analysis, results dissemination and community feedback
Piatkowski, T. M., Coomber, R., Francis, C., Kill, E., Davey, G., Cresswell, S. L., White, A., Harding, M., Blakey, K., Reeve, S., et al. (2025) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.70009 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Testing the test strips: laboratory performance of fentanyl test strips
Halifax, J. C., Lim, L., Ciccarone, D., & Lynch, K. L. (2024) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00921-8 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Validation of a lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay for the detection of fentanyl in drug samples
Park, J. N., Sherman, S. G., Sigmund, V., Breaud, A., Martin, K., & Clarke, W. A. (2022) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109610 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
“You can't go wrong being safe”: Motivations, patterns, and context surrounding use of fentanyl test strips for heroin and other drugs
Reed, M. K., Guth, A., Salcedo, V. J., Hom, J. K., & Rising, K. L. (2022) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103643 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Responding to a surge in overdose deaths: perspectives from US syringe services programs
Frost, M. C., Austin, E. J., Corcorran, M. A., Briggs, E. S., Behrends, C. N., Juarez, A. M., Frank, N. D., Healy, E., Prohaska, S. M., LaKosky, P. A., et al. (2022) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-022-00664-y · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine-based counterfeit pills sold at tourist-oriented pharmacies in Mexico: An ethnographic and drug checking study
Friedman, J. R., Godvin, M., Molina, C. A., Romero, R., Bórquez, A., Avra, T. D., Goodman‐Meza, D., Strathdee, S. A., Bourgois, P. I., & Shover, C. L. (2023) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110819 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
A confirmed case of xylazine-induced skin ulcers in a person who injects drugs in Miami, Florida, USA
Warp, P. V., Hauschild, M. H., Serota, D. P., Ciraldo, K. J., Cruz, I., Bartholomew, T. S., & Tookes, H. E. (2024) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-024-00978-z · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Comprehensive testing and rapid dissemination of local drug supply surveillance data in Rhode Island
Collins, A. B., Wightman, R., Macon, E. C., Guan, Y. A., Shihipar, A., Krieger, M. S., Elmaleh, R., Smith, M. C., Morales, A., & Badea, A. (2023) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104118 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Analysis of the UK Government’s 10-Year Drugs Strategy—a resource for practitioners and policymakers
Holland, A., Stevens, A., Harris, M., Lewer, D., Sumnall, H. R., Stewart, D. E., Gilvarry, E. A., Wiseman, A., Howkins, J., McManus, J., et al. (2022) · Journal of Public Health · doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdac114 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Co-designing drug alerts for health and community workers for an emerging early warning system in Victoria, Australia
Brien, R., Volpe, I., Grigg, J., Lyons, T., Hughes, C., McKinnon, G., Tzanetis, S., Crawford, S., Eade, A., Lee, N., et al. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00761-6 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Take-home drug checking as a novel harm reduction strategy in British Columbia, Canada
Klaire, S., Janssen, R. M., Olson, K., Bridgeman, J., Korol, E. E., Chu, T., Ghafari, C., Sabeti, S., Buxton, J. A., & Lysyshyn, M. (2022) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103741 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Fentanyl Concentration in Drug Checking Samples and Risk of Overdose Death in Vancouver, Canada
Kennedy, M. C., Dong, H., Tobias, S., Buxton, J. A., Lysyshyn, M., Tupper, K. W., & Ti, L. (2023) · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2023.08.016 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Differences in drug use behaviors that impact overdose risk among individuals who do and do not use fentanyl test strips for drug checking
Tilhou, A. S., Zaborek, J., Baltes, A., Salisbury-Afshar, E., Malicki, J., & Brown, R. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00767-0 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Everywhere and for everyone: proportionate universalism as a framework for equitable access to community drug checking
Wallace, B., van Roode, T., Burek, P., Hore, D. K., & Pauly, B. (2022) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-022-00727-0 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Insights from Drug Checking Programs: Practicing Bootstrap Public Health Whilst Tailoring to Local Drug User Needs
Ondocsin, J., Ciccarone, D., Moran, L., Outram, S. M., Werb, D., Thomas, L., & Arnold, E. A. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph20115999 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Self-citation
Not just fentanyl: Understanding the complexities of the unregulated opioid supply through results from a drug checking service in British Columbia, Canada
Gonzalez-Nieto, P., Wallace, B., Kielty, C., Gruntman, K., Robinson, D., Staff, S., Lira, J. A. S., Gill, C. G., & Hore, D. K. (2025) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104751 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Validated method for the analysis of 22 illicit drugs and their metabolites via liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in illicit drug samples collected in Chicago, IL
Whitehead, H. D., Hayes, K. L., Swartz, J. A., Prete, E., Robison, L., Mackesy‐Amiti, M. E., Jimenez, A. D., & Lieberman, M. (2023) · Forensic Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.forc.2023.100475 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Broad evidence of xylazine in the UK illicit drug market beyond heroin supplies: Triangulating from toxicology, drug‐testing and law enforcement
Copeland, C. S., Rice, K. T., Rock, K. L., Hudson, S. C., Streete, P., Lawson, A. J., Couchman, L., Holland, A., & Morley, S. R. (2024) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.16466 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
A qualitative assessment of key considerations for drug checking service implementation
Rose, C. E. G., Pickard, A. S., Kulbokas, V., Hoferka, S., Friedman, K., Epstein, J., & Lee, T. A. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00882-y · Cited by 27 · see citing works
A distributed model to expand the reach of drug checking
Wallace, B. B., Gozdzialski, L., Qbaich, A., Shafiul, A., Burek, P., Hutchison, A., Teal, T., Louw, R., Kielty, C., Robinson, D. J. S., et al. (2022) · Drugs Habits and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0005 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Current attitudes toward drug checking services and a comparison of expected with actual drugs present in street drug samples collected from opioid users
Swartz, J. A., Lieberman, M., Jimenez, A. D., Mackesy‐Amiti, M. E., Whitehead, H. D., Hayes, K. L., Taylor, L., & Prete, E. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00821-x · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Overdose prevention centres as spaces of safety, trust and inclusion: A causal pathway based on a realist review
Stevens, A., Keemink, J. R., Shirley‐Beavan, S., Khadjesari, Z., Artenie, A. A., Vickerman, P. T., Southwell, M., & Shorter, G. W. (2024) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/dar.13908 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
How do we understand the value of drug checking as a component of harm reduction services? A qualitative exploration of client and provider perspectives
Moran, L., Ondocsin, J., Outram, S. M., Ciccarone, D., Werb, D., Holm, N., & Arnold, E. A. (2024) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-024-01014-w · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Self-citation
Temporal and spatial trends of fentanyl co-occurrence in the illicit drug supply in the United States: a serial cross-sectional analysis
Lim, T. Y., Dong, H., Stringfellow, E. J., Hasgül, Z., Park, J. N., Glos, L. J., Kazemi, R., & Jalali, M. S. (2024) · The Lancet Regional Health - Americas · doi:10.1016/j.lana.2024.100898 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Effects of media representations of drug related deaths on public stigma and support for harm reduction
Sumnall, H. R., Atkinson, A. M., Montgomery, C., Maynard, O., & Nicholls, J. Q. (2022) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103909 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Contextual factors affecting the implementation of drug checking for harm reduction: a scoping literature review from a North American perspective
Rose, C. E. G., Kulbokas, V., Carkovic, E., Lee, T. A., & Pickard, A. S. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00856-0 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Xylazine awareness, desire, use and exposure: Preliminary findings from the Rhode Island community-based drug checking cohort study
Park, J. N., Serafinski, R. L., Ujeneza, M., McKenzie, M., Tardif, J., Krotulski, A. J., Badea, A., Grossman, E. R., & Green, T. C. (2024) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports · doi:10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100247 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Drug checking services as a surveillance tool for clinical laboratories: Examining trends in the unregulated fentanyl supply
Delaney, S. R., Konforte, D., Stefan, C., Palaty, J., Sun, D., McDonald, K., Thompson, H., Werb, D., & Beriault, D. R. (2022) · Clinical Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2022.11.003 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Self-citation
Music festival drug checking: evaluation of an Australian pilot program
Olsen, A., Wong, G. T. W., & McDonald, D. (2022) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-022-00708-3 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Challenges for drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration of police perceptions
Falzon, D., Aston, E., Carver, H., Masterton, W., Wallace, B. B., Sumnall, H. R., Measham, F. C., Fletcher, E. H., Gittins, R., Priyadarshi, S., et al. (2022) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-022-00686-6 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Predictors of Frequent Emergency Department Use and Hospitalization among Patients with Substance-Related Disorders Recruited in Addiction Treatment Centers
Fleury, M., Cao, Z., Grenier, G., & Huỳnh, C. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19116607 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Drug checking use and interest among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada
Rammohan, I., Bouck, Z., Fusigboye, S., Bowles, J. M., McDonald, K., Maghsoudi, N., Scheim, A. I., & Werb, D. (2022) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103781 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Self-citation
'It’s not going to be a one size fits all': a qualitative exploration of the potential utility of three drug checking service models in Scotland
Carver, H., Falzon, D., Masterton, W., Wallace, B. B., Aston, E., Measham, F. C., Hunter, C., Sumnall, H. R., Gittins, R., Raeburn, F., et al. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00830-w · Cited by 18 · see citing works
A strategy for the detection of benzodiazepine drugs using low‐resolution paper‐spray mass spectrometry for harm reduction drug checking
Miskulin, A., Wallace, B. B., Gill, C. G., & Hore, D. K. (2023) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.3630 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Adulteration and substitution of drugs purchased in Australia from cryptomarkets: An analysis of Test4Pay
Barratt, M. J., Ball, M., Wong, G. T. W., & Quinton, A. (2024) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/dar.13825 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Who uses drug checking services? Assessing uptake and outcomes at English festivals in 2018
Measham, F. C., & Simmons, H. (2022) · Drugs Habits and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/dhs-02-2022-0008 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Harm Reduction: The Neglected Pillar of US Drug Policy
Saloner, B. K., Heller, D. I., Davis, C. S., & Sherman, S. G. (2024) · Annual Review of Public Health · doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-071723-112620 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
A longitudinal study of behavioural outcomes following a visit to the Boom Festival 2018 drug checking service: individual and group level results
Valente, H., Martins, D., Pinto, M., Fernandes, L. M., & Barratt, M. J. (2022) · Drugs Education Prevention and Policy · doi:10.1080/09687637.2022.2072187 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Enhancing drug checking services for supply monitoring: perspectives on implementation in syringe service programs in the USA
Moon, K. J., Whitehead, H. D., Trinh, A., Hasenstab, K. A., Hayes, K. L., Stanley, D., Carter, B., Barclay, R., Lieberman, M., & Nawaz, S. (2024) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00924-5 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Responding to reports of nitazene toxicity in Australia
Clifford, B., Peacock, A., Siefried, K. J., Gobeil, J., Smith, J. L., & Ezard, N. (2025) · Medical Journal of Australia · doi:10.5694/mja2.52605 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Law enforcement fentanyl seizures and overdose mortality in US counties, 2013–2020
Bruzelius, E., Palamar, J. J., Fitzgerald, N. D., Cottler, L. B., Carr, T. H., & Martins, S. S. (2024) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111400 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Substances from unregulated drug markets – A retrospective data analysis of customer-provided samples from a decade of drug checking service in Zurich (Switzerland)
Magnolini, R., Schneider, M., Schori, D., Trachsel, D., & Bruggmann, P. (2023) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.103972 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
What impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have on the variability of fentanyl concentrations in the Vancouver, Canada illicit drug supply? An interrupted time-series analysis
Tobias, S., Grant, C. J., Laing, R. R., Lysyshyn, M., Buxton, J. A., Tupper, K. W., Wood, E., & Ti, L. (2023) · BMJ Public Health · doi:10.1136/bmjph-2023-000197 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Costing analysis of a point-of-care drug checking program in Rhode Island
Cepeda, J., Thompson, E., Ujeneza, M., Tardif, J., Walsh, T., Morales, A., Rosen, J. G., Green, T. C., & Park, J. N. (2023) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111028 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Identification of three unexpected new psychoactive substances at an Australian drug checking service
Algar, J. L., Lawes, D. J., Carroll, A. J., Caldicott, D. G. E., & McLeod, M. D. (2024) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.3637 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“It gets you high as a kite but not unsick”: Characterizations of and responses to a changing local drug supply by people who use drugs in Rhode Island
Collins, A. B., Macon, E. C., Levin, S., Wunsch, C., & Wightman, R. (2024) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104391 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
A Scoping Review of the Emergence of Novel Synthetic Opioids in Australian Drug Markets: What Does This Mean for Harm Reduction Responses?
Mammoliti, E., Nielsen, S., & Roxburgh, A. (2026) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/dar.14079 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Monitoring for fentanyl within Australian supervised injecting facilities: Findings from feasibility testing of novel methods and collaborative workshops
Nielsen, S., Barratt, M. J., Hiley, S., Bartlett, M., Latimer, J., JAUNCEY, M. E., Roux, C. P., Morelato, M., Clark, N. C., Kowalski, M., et al. (2023) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104015 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Motivators of and barriers to drug checking engagement in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from a cross-sectional study
Tobias, S., Ferguson, M., Palis, H., Burmeister, C., McDougall, J., Liu, L., Graham, B. M., Ti, L., & Buxton, J. A. (2023) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104290 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Planning and implementing community-based drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration using the consolidated framework for implementation research
Falzon, D., Carver, H., Masterton, W., Wallace, B. B., Sumnall, H. R., Measham, F. C., Craik, V., Gittins, R., Aston, E., Watson, K., et al. (2024) · Substance Abuse Treatment Prevention and Policy · doi:10.1186/s13011-023-00590-7 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Characterising differences between self-reported and wastewater-identified drug use at two consecutive years of an Australian music festival
Puljević, C., Tscharke, B. J., Leslie, E. M., Francis, C., Verhagen, R., O'Brien, J. W., Bade, R., Nadarajan, D., Measham, F. C., Stowe, M. J., et al. (2024) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170934 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Safer supply and political interference in medical practice: Alberta's Narcotics Transition Services
Wilson, P., Colizza, K., & Hyshka, E. (2024) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104600 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Evaluation of implementing drug checking services for anabolic androgenic steroids in Switzerland: a pilot study
Magnolini, R., Kaeppeli, M., Schori, D., Bruggmann, P., Senn, O., & ‘DIZ“ Group (2025) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-025-01242-8 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Interpol Review of Drug Analysis 2019-2022
Love, D., & Jones, N. S. (2023) · Forensic Science International Synergy · doi:10.1016/j.fsisyn.2022.100299 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Toward automated infrared spectral analysis in community drug checking
Gozdzialski, L., Hutchison, A., Wallace, B. B., Gill, C. G., & Hore, D. K. (2023) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.3520 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Drug-related deaths at Australian music festivals
Santamarina, R., Caldicott, D. G. E., FitzGerald, J., & Schumann, J. (2023) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104274 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Recommendations from people who use drugs in Philadelphia, PA about structuring point-of-care drug checking
Reed, M. K., Borne, E., Camacho, T. E., Kelly, M., & Rising, K. L. (2024) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-024-00937-8 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
New Psychoactive Substances: A Canadian perspective on emerging trends and challenges for the clinical laboratory
Miller, J. J., Yazdanpanah, M., Colantonio, D., Beriault, D. R., & Delaney, S. R. (2024) · Clinical Biochemistry · doi:10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2024.110810 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
The prevalence of fentanyl in New York City’s unregulated drug supply as measured through drug checking offered at syringe service programs
Estrada, Y., Sauer, J., Dominguez, L., Zaidi, I., Trinidad, A. J., Helmy, H. L., & Harocopos, A. (2025) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112578 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Anabolic-androgenic steroid testing as a tool for consumer engagement and harm reduction: a sequential explanatory mixed-method study
Piatkowski, T. M., Coomber, R., Francis, C., Kill, E., Davey, G., Cresswell, S. L., White, A., Harding, M., Blakey, K., Reeve, S., et al. (2025) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-025-01270-4 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Lead Astray? The Hidden Contaminants in Australian Anabolic–Androgenic Steroid Market and Their Potential Health Impact
Craven, A., Ferris, J., Nielsen, S., & Piatkowski, T. M. (2025) · Drug and Alcohol Review · doi:10.1111/dar.70007 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
First drug-checking study at an electronic festival and fentanyl detection in the central region of Mexico
Cruz, S. L., Bencomo-Cruz, M., Medina-Mora, M. E., Vázquez-Quiroz, F., & Fleiz, C. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00905-8 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Drug policing down under: An investigation of panic consumption, internal concealment and the use of drug amnesty bins among a sample of Australian festivalgoers
Grigg, J., Barratt, M. J., & Lenton, S. R. (2022) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103769 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
What anabolic–androgenic steroids reveal about the limits of current harm reduction models
Piatkowski, T. M., Nagata, J. M., & Nielsen, S. (2026) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.70395 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Mobile addiction treatment and harm reduction services as tools to address health inequities: a community case study of the Brockton Neighborhood Health Center mobile unit
Pinkhover, A., Celata, K., Baker, T. J., Chatterjee, A., & Lunze, K. (2024) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1407522 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Volatile drug use and overdose during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
Schneider, K. E., Martin, E. M., Allen, S. T., Morris, M., Haney, K., Saloner, B. K., & Sherman, S. G. (2024) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104371 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Temporal and regional associations between fentanyl concentrations in the unregulated drug supply and drug-related mortality in British Columbia, Canada
Tobias, S., Bird, J., Guzman, S. M., Palis, H., Crabtree, A., Hein, J. E., Wood, E., & Ti, L. (2026) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2026.105200 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Feasibility study of using mobile phone-based experience sampling to assess drug checking by opioid street drug users
Swartz, J. A., Mackesy‐Amiti, M. E., Jimenez, A. D., Robison, L., & Prete, E. (2023) · Pilot and Feasibility Studies · doi:10.1186/s40814-023-01321-2 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Association of Fentanyl Test Strip Use, Perceived Overdose Risk, and Naloxone Possession among People Who Use Drugs
Tilhou, A. S., Zaborek, J., Baltes, A., Salisbury‐Afshar, E., Malicki, J., & Brown, R. (2023) · Substance Use & Misuse · doi:10.1080/10826084.2023.2267130 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Drug use patterns, harm reduction strategies and use of drug checking services in boom festival patrons
Valente, H., Martins, D., Pinto, M., Fernandes, J. L., & Barratt, M. J. (2022) · Drugs Habits and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0004 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Evaluation of ATR–FTIR, HPLC–DAD, GC–MS, and GC–IR for the Analysis of 145 Street Drug Samples From Drug Checking Services
Monti, M. C., Bauer, M., Koch, K., Scheurer, E., & Schlotterbeck, G. (2024) · Drug Testing and Analysis · doi:10.1002/dta.3843 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Community-led guerrilla drug checking in response to deaths from adulterated MDMA in Victoria, Australia
Barratt, M. J., Bright, S. J., & Blackwell, A. R. (2022) · Drugs Habits and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/dhs-01-2022-0006 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Challenges, policy and politics in drug checking: reflections of the TEDItorial team
der Linden, N. V., Koning, R. P. J., van der Gouwe, D., Ventura, M., & Measham, F. C. (2022) · Drugs Habits and Social Policy · doi:10.1108/dhs-10-2022-0037 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Just another thing for me to stress off of”: Responses to unintentional fentanyl use in a community-based study of people who use opioids
Lorvick, J., Hemberg, J., George, M. J., Piontak, J. R., & Comfort, M. L. (2023) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00863-1 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Harm reduction in undergraduate and graduate medical education: a systematic scoping review
Smith, K. R., Shah, N. K., Adamczyk, A. L., Weinstein, L. C., & Kelly, E. L. (2023) · BMC Medical Education · doi:10.1186/s12909-023-04931-9 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Expected to happen”: perspectives on post-release overdose from recently incarcerated people with opioid use disorder
Michener, P. S., Bianchet, E., Fox, S., Evans, E., & Friedmann, P. D. (2024) · Harm Reduction Journal · doi:10.1186/s12954-024-01055-1 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“A lotta people switched playing hard ball to playing Russian roulette”: Experiences with rising overdose incidence caused by drug supply changes during the COVID-19 pandemic in the San Diego-Tijuana border metroplex
Valasek, C. J., Streuli, S. A., Pines, H. A., Strathdee, S. A., Bórquez, A., Bourgois, P. I., Stamos-Buesig, T., Vera, C. F., Vera, A., & Bazzi, A. R. (2023) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports · doi:10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100154 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Harm reduction and emergency medical services: Opportunities for evidence-based programming
Friedman, N. M. G., Molina, C. A., & Glenn, M. J. (2023) · The American Journal of Emergency Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2023.07.025 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Ecstasy, molly, MDMA: What health practitioners need to know about this common recreational drug
Farrar, A. M., Nordstrom, I. H., Shelley, K., Archer, G., Kunstman, K., & Palamar, J. J. (2025) · Disease-a-Month · doi:10.1016/j.disamonth.2024.101851 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Novel psychoactive substances in Australian emergency departments: implications for public health practice from multi-centre prospective toxicosurveillance across five states, 2022–2023
Smith, J. L., Weber, C. C., Schumann, J., Ezard, N., Fatovich, D. M., McCutcheon, D., Isoardi, K., Dawson, A. H., Syrjanen, R., Harris, K., et al. (2025) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104969 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Evidence of use and users of image- and performance-enhancing drugs in sports in Switzerland: a scoping literature review and implications for Swiss drug policy
Kruijver, M., Bruggmann, P., & Magnolini, R. (2023) · Swiss Medical Weekly · doi:10.57187/smw.2023.40080 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Leveraging pooled medical examiner records to surveil complex and emerging patterns of polysubstance use in the United States
Shover, C. L., Friedman, J. R., Romero, R., Jiménez, S. A., Beltran, J., Garcia, C., & Goodman‐Meza, D. (2024) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104397 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
A simple heuristic for allocating opioid settlement funding to reduce overdose mortality in the United States
Skinner, A., Nolen, S., Cerdá, M., Rich, J. D., & Marshall, B. D. L. (2024) · The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse · doi:10.1080/00952990.2024.2364338 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
The Future of Deadly Synthetic Opioids: Nitazenes and Their International Control
Lassi, N., & Jiang, S. (2025) · Global Policy · doi:10.1111/1758-5899.70000 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Misrepresentation of MDMA in the United States, 1999–2023
Sevigny, E. L., Thyssen, S., Erowid, E., & Lea, R. (2024) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112467 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

The Implementation of Drug Checking Services for People Who Use Drugs: A Systematic ReviewPreprint
Maghsoudi, N., Tanguay, J., Scarfone, K. M., Rammohan, I., Ziegler, C. P., Werb, D., & Scheim, A. I. (2021) · doi:10.32388/txe86u · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Self-citation
Bulletin no. 24: Global review of drug checking services operating in 2017
Barratt, M. J., Kowalski, M., Maier, L., & Ritter, A. (2024) · UNSWorks (University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia) · doi:10.26190/unsworks/26805
Investigating the Influence of Drug Checking Services on People Who Use Drugs
Maghsoudi, N. (2025) · TSpace (University of Toronto)
Self-citation
Intentions, actions and outcomes: A follow up survey on harm reduction practices after using an English festival drug checking service
Measham, F. C., & Turnbull, G. (2021) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103270 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Evaluation of a drug checking service at a large scale electronic music festival in Portugal
Valente, H., Martins, D., Carvalho, H., Pires, C. V., Carvalho, M. C., Pinto, M., & Barratt, M. J. (2019) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.07.007 · Cited by 83 · see citing works

Authors: Maghsoudi, N., Tanguay, J., Scarfone, K., Rammohan, I., Ziegler, C., Werb, D., & Scheim, A. I.
Affiliations: St. Michael's Hospital (CA)
University of Toronto (CA)
Unity Health Toronto (CA)
Corresponding author: Werb, Dan
ORCID: Maghsoudi, Nazlee
Scarfone, Kristy
Rammohan, Indhu
Ziegler, Carolyn
Werb, Dan
Scheim, Ayden I.
Venue: Addiction
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2021-12-12
Volume: 117
Issue: 3
Pages: 532-544
ISSN: 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
1360-0443
DOI: 10.1111/add.15734
PMC: PMC9299873
OpenAlex: W3208716282
Cited by: 261
References: 87
Citations by year: 2026: 47 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 72 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 2
FWCI: 5.74
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: hybrid
doi.org
Licence: cc-by-nc
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (vor)
Locations: Addiction (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science
St. Michael's Hospital Foundation
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk
Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Keywords: drug checking, drug users, drug use behavior, new psychoactive substances, drug disposal, barriers to service use, chemical analysis of drugs
MeSH terms: Cross-Sectional Studies, Delivery of Health Care, Europe, Humans, North America, United States, Substance-Related Disorders, Drug Users

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Drug checking services for people who use drugs: a systematic review

Abstract

Integrity signals

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Self-check

Cites

Cited by

Related

Record

About these checks