Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
06:06
Color Spot Test As a Presumptive Tool for the Rapid Detection of Synthetic Cathinones
Published on: February 5, 2018
Sharing drug checking results in a Canadian setting: a multi-site analysis
Joshua Bird1, Samuel Tobias1, Cameron Grant2
1British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6Z 2A9; School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z3.
The International Journal on Drug Policy
|June 25, 2025
Summary
Over half of drug checking service users share their results, particularly those involved in drug dealing or who use the services frequently. Information is most often shared with friends, family, and drug dealers, enhancing community awareness of drug market conditions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Criminology
Background:
- Drug checking services (DCS) are a harm reduction strategy to mitigate illicit drug-related harms.
- DCS can potentially increase community awareness of drug market dynamics through user-shared results.
- Limited research exists on information-sharing patterns among DCS users.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the patterns of information sharing among individuals using drug checking services.
- To identify factors associated with the sharing of drug checking results.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study at 22 harm reduction sites in British Columbia (March 2021-July 2024).
- Utilized backwards stepwise selection and elastic net regularization for multivariable logistic regression.
- Examined relationships between socio-demographics, drug use, and sharing of drug checking results.
Main Results:
- 516 participants (53% shared results); sharing associated with drug dealing, frequent DCS use, stable employment, and white ethnicity.
- Among those sharing, 66% shared with friends/family, and 28% shared with drug dealers.
- Drug checking results are actively disseminated within social and drug market networks.
Conclusions:
- Over half of DCS users share their results, indicating a key mechanism for information dissemination.
- Sharing is linked to drug dealing, frequent service use, employment, and ethnicity.
- DCS engagement facilitates the spread of drug market information among various actors.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:19Pharmacovigilance
Post-marketing surveillance is a critical component of pharmaceutical regulation, often uncovering unanticipated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) once a drug is widely used over an extended period.
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
01:27Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
Such synergistic combinations...
01:23Drug Concentrations: Measurements
Drug concentration is the quantity of a drug present in a biological sample. Measuring drug amounts in biological samples allows the clinician to understand how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted. Samples can be obtained through invasive or non-invasive methods. Invasive techniques involve surgical or parenteral interventions to gather blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or tissue biopsy. Conversely, non-invasive approaches provide samples like urine, feces, and saliva.
Plasma —...
Plasma —...
01:09Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In situ
In situ experiments, such as the Doluisio method and Single-Pass Perfusion technique, provide critical insights into drug uptake by simulating in vivo conditions for drug absorption.
The Doluisio method involves perfusing a prepared segment of a rat's small intestine with a solution of radiolabeled drug and a non-absorbable marker. This helps to differentiate between absorbed and non-absorbed drug concentrations. The intestinal segment is connected at both ends using tubing and syringes,...
The Doluisio method involves perfusing a prepared segment of a rat's small intestine with a solution of radiolabeled drug and a non-absorbable marker. This helps to differentiate between absorbed and non-absorbed drug concentrations. The intestinal segment is connected at both ends using tubing and syringes,...
01:29Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Affecting Factors
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is the clinical practice of measuring specific drug levels in a patient's blood or body tissues to manage and optimize therapy. TDM is crucial for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows, like warfarin and phenytoin, where incorrect doses can lead to treatment failure or severe side effects. This monitoring ensures the dosage administered is within a safe and effective range. The factors affecting therapeutic drug monitoring include:Patient-Specific Factors:a.
01:26Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Drug Analysis Methods
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is a clinical practice that measures specific drug levels in a patient's blood or body tissues to tailor drug therapy effectively. This monitoring is critical for managing drugs with narrow therapeutic indices like digoxin and phenytoin, ensuring they are both safe and effective. For instance, monitoring theophylline levels in asthma patients involves precision and sensitivity to adjust doses according to individual responses to therapy, ensuring efficacy and...