Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, V8W 3V6, Canada.
Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, V8W 2Y2, Canada.
Harm Reduct J. 2021 Sep 17;18(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s12954-021-00545-w.
Drug checking uses chemical analytical technologies to analyze drugs from the unregulated market to reduce substance use-related risks. We aim to examine the frequency of third party use of a community drug checking service to explore the potential for harm reduction to extend beyond the individual into the community, increase service accessibility, and to contribute to upstream interventions in the supply.
Over 31 months, data were collected from a point-of-care drug checking service operated in Victoria, Canada. Through the implementation of survey questions at the intake of the service, data were collected about whether the drug check was for the individual, to sell, and/or for others.
Just over half (52%) of service users were checking for reasons that extended beyond individual use. When checking for others, friends were the most common response, representing 52% of responses, and outreach/support workers checking for others was the second most at 32%. Twelve percent of service users reported checking to sell or for a supplier.
Third party checking is a frequent, and important aspect of drug checking services, which through facilitating community engagement and increasing accessibility, has expanded the reach of interventions beyond individuals to reduce risks within the unregulated market. Therefore, drug checking as an overdose response should be responsive and accessible for those using the service on the behalf of others.
药物检测使用化学分析技术来分析非监管市场中的药物，以降低与物质使用相关的风险。我们旨在检查社区药物检测服务的第三方使用频率，以探索减少危害的潜力是否可以超越个人扩展到社区，增加服务的可及性，并为供应方面的上游干预做出贡献。
在 31 个月的时间里，从加拿大维多利亚市的一个现场药物检测服务中收集了数据。通过在服务开始时实施调查问题，收集了关于药物检测是为个人、销售和/或为他人进行的信息。
超过一半（52%）的服务使用者进行药物检测的原因超出了个人使用。当为他人进行检测时，朋友是最常见的回答，占 52%，其次是外展/支持人员为他人进行检测，占 32%。12%的服务使用者报告说检测是为了销售或为供应商进行的。
第三方检测是药物检测服务的一个常见且重要的方面，通过促进社区参与和提高可及性，将干预措施的范围从个人扩展到非监管市场，以降低风险。因此，作为过量反应的药物检测应该对那些代表他人使用该服务的人做出响应和提供服务。
