Step 1
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Mix the sample and crush it well
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Add one scoop (5-10mg) of sample to a 5ml teaspoon of water
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Stir it well
Drug self-test kits
How to use a drug self-test kit to see if drugs have been contaminated with other substances.
Some of our services can provide you with special self-test kits that you can use to see if drugs have been contaminated with substances such as nitazenes, fentanyl and xylazine. To see if you can access one of these kits from your local service, please speak to your recovery worker.
Before you take the test
- Find somewhere safe to complete the test
- Only use the test kit if the packaging is undamaged
- If you don’t have test kits for every time you score, try and test when you have a new batch or source, or if the drugs look different to your usual supply
Carefully read the instructions
We have created a video and added generic how-to steps below, but please carefully read the instructions that come with the test you are about to use.
Watch Abie, Lead Clinical Pharmacist at WithYou, as she talks through how to use a drug self-test kit safely and accurately.
Step 2
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Open the test. Do not touch the white section
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Holding the green end, dip the test in the sample for 15 seconds. Make sure the wavy lines are covered but the solid line isn’t
Step 3
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Remove the test from the sample and lay it on a flat, hard surface
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Wait for the result to appear - this takes around 60 seconds
Reading the test result
Please check the instructions to see what your test results mean.
Usually:
Positive result
A positive test result will have one line only next to the 'C' block.
Negative result
A negative test result will have two lines, next to the 'C' and 'T' blocks. It does not matter how faint the lines are - a negative test will have two lines.
Invalid result
Any other result means the test has failed.
After completing the test
- A negative test result does not mean that the drug sample is ‘safe’ to use - it could contain other dangerous drugs which the kits do not test for
- If the test is positive, we advise you not to take the drug that the sample is from. If you do:
- Start with a small amount and space out your doses. As strength can vary between and within batches, even if you use drugs regularly, start with a small amount and wait to see how it affects you.
- Make sure someone can help if you overdose. A buddy system makes it more likely that someone can help in an emergency. This is where one person takes their hit first and waits until the peak effects have worn off before the other person uses.
- Try to take one drug at a time. Mixing different drugs, including with alcohol, can increase your risk of harm and overdose.
- There may be a delayed effect - if you feel at all unwell in the hours after using, seek medical help.
Get in touch with your local service
If you’re worried about your own drug use, you'd like to pick up a test kit, or if you want advice for someone you know, please get in touch with us through your local service.
We offer free, non-judgemental advice to whoever needs it.