Pill Testing

What is Adulterant Screening?

Adulterant Screening or "pill testing" is an important harm reduction service that Islandkidz and other similar groups provide. With the use of kits containing "marquis reagent", we are able to take small sample from pills sold as ecstasy (MDMA) and find out certain things about them.

How accurate are our tests?

Our tests are extremely accurate for identifying the presence of a real ecstasy-like substance in the pill (MDMA, MDA or MDE) and for screening against completely fake pills.

Here are some of the things our tests can do:

  • They can tell you if a pill contains at least some ecstasy-like substance
  • They can tell you if a pill is completely fake, meaning it contains no ecstasy-like substance
  • They can tell you if a pill contains only speed, DXM or 2C-B

    Here are things they cannot do:

  • They cannot tell you how pure the pill is
  • They cannot tell you how much ecstasy is in the pill
  • They cannot tell you which one of the ecstasy-like substances is in the pill. It may be MDMA, MDA, MDE or perhaps a combination

    Why is Adulterant Screening Important?

    Adulterant screening is an important harm reduction service that potentially saves lives. Many of the pills sold on the illicit market as ecstasy (MDMA) contain far more dangerous substances such as PMA or DXM. For this reason it is important that ecstasy users have access to this type of service in order to help reduce the risks of accidentally ingesting this type of substance. According to Dancesafe, a national harm reduction service in the US:

    "In the Spring of this year, for example, three young people died in Chicago after ingesting tablets they thought contained ecstasy, but actually contained PMA, a powerful stimulant that is cheaper and easier to manufacture than ecstasy but far more dangerous. PMA has been responsible for six deaths in Australia and many more in Europe and England. In the summer of 1999 we discovered that tablets containing high doses of DXM were causing the majority of medical emergencies in the Oakland rave community, as well in many other cities across the US. DXM is a legal cough suppressant that in high doses can prevent sweating. Our laboratory analysis program, along with our onsite pill testing program, allowed us to correlate most of these cases of heat stroke to DXM pills, and we were thus able to warn users about this increased risk." www.dancesafe.org
    There are many other illicit substances such as ketamine, speed, cocaine, PCP and various over the counter medications which are often passed off as ecstasy and can prove to be at least overwhelming and at worst harmful to the unsuspecting user.

    While no drug is entirely safe, many of the adulterated pills in circulation are far more dangerous than ecstasy and it is for this reason that pill testing is a necessary harm reduction service.

    Islandkidz provides on-site adulterant screening and sells pill testing kits for a $25 donation. These kits are available at all events or e-mail us for more information.

    < Pill Alert Page >

    Disclaimer:
    IslandKidz neither condone nor condemn the use of drugs but wish to provide health and safety information for those who choose to use. We do not claim or imply that any drug is completely safe. All drugs have inherent risks. We are not responsible for how the information on this site is used.

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