International Drug Checking Day

Logo for The International Day of Drug Checking

The International Drug Checking Day is an initiative by a diverse group of organizations that all play an active part in the delivery of harm reduction initiatives. With their first event being held on March 31st, 2017[1][2][3][4], these organizations celebrate and raise awareness of drug checking, which they define as not "only the testing of substances but also hope to remind people to test their knowledge about drugs and their effects."[5] By raising awareness and sharing knowledge, these organizations hope to improve awareness of ways in which each and every community can reduce these risks.

History

The International Day of Drug Checking was launched in March 2017 by the team behind ReagentTesting which arose from the Reddit /r/Drugs subreddit community. It is part of the broader harm-reduction movement that has emerged in response to the failed policies of global drug prohibition.

Objectives

  • Raise awareness of drug checking as a harm-reduction approach so that more people can have the opportunity to check their drugs to make more informed decisions. Drawing on a 30 year history of drug checking with well-established test services in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany and France, it promotes the use of GC/MS (Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry), TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography), HP-TLC (High-Performance Thin Layer Chromatography), or IR (Infra-red) methods as the most effective means of getting one's drug's tested.
  • Promote the use of personal drug-checking using home reagent testing kits, which are easily attainable online. Despite the limitations of these testing kits, it still believes that they offer an effective way to reduce the most dangerous risks associated with unidentified drugs and an essential way to introduce people to find out more about the idea of harm reduction and responsible drug use.

How to Participate

  • Tweet, blog, share! Got an opinion about drug checking in your area? Want to know more? Know people who would benefit from drug checking? Join the conversation with #JustSayKnow #IDCDay2017 #TestIt
  • Visit https://drugcheckingday.com to learn more about the partner organizations and event organizers.
  • Write an experience report talking about your experience with drug checking or other risk minimization approaches. Learn about how you can win a free EcstasyData GC/MS test and Erowid schwag by writing a qualifying report,[6]

Supporting Organizations

These organisations[7] have committed to participating (map of global support).

See Also

Links and contact

References

  1. ↑ "First-Ever International Drug Checking Day to be Held This Friday". VICE. 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2018-11-24. 
  2. ↑ "MARCH 31 IS THE FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL DRUG CHECKING DAY". MIXMAG. 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2018-11-24. 
  3. ↑ "Happy International Day of Drug Checking! Are Your Drugs Laced?". Westword. 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2018-11-24. 
  4. ↑ "Drug safety testing, disposals and dealing in an English field: Exploring the outcomes of the UK's first onsite drug checking service". drugscience.org.uk. 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2019-01-15. 
  5. ↑ https://www.dropbox.com/s/zvuqtnq1b1ile2i/International-Day-of-Drug-Checking-2017-final-press-release.pdf?dl=0
  6. ↑ Want to win a free EcstasyData analysis? – Erowid Crew Blog 
  7. ↑ https://psychonautwiki.org/w/index.php?title=International_Day_of_Drug_Checking#Supporting_Organizations
  8. ↑ International Drug Checking Day – Mar 31, 2017 – Erowid Crew Blog 
Responsible drug use index
 
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