Drug checking is a harm reduction service that helps people make informed decisions about unregulated substances before they use and provides public health with timely information about the drug supply.
Drug checking results give information about additives in the sample provided, as well as the composition and concentration of the substances tested.
If you are using substances, find ways to improve safety by visiting the webpage Harm Reduction for Substance Use, or going to your local Overdose Prevention Site.
Steps:
- Call your nearest location below to confirm hours of operation and testing.
- Bring a sample of your unregulated substance to a designate location for free and confidential testing.
- Give a very small amount to the technician (about the size of a grain of rice).
- Wait for analysis (time to analyze varies by location and method of testing).
- Get your results in person, over the phone or online (depending on service and location).
Drug checking locations
- Campbell River
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- Comox Valley
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- Cowichan Valley/Duncan
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- Nanaimo
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- Located at 250 Albert Street
- Call 250-244-4042 (ext. 402)
- Drop off drug samples in-person when open. Testing complete when a technician is available
- Results provided immediately and can also be sent by email or text
- Services offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association (local OPS)
- Port Alberni
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- Port Hardy
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- Victoria
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- Mail-in: Vancouver Island Drug Checking Project
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- Visit Substance
- Click “send a sample” in the upper right corner of the page
- Follow instructions to anonymously submit drug samples and retrieve results
- Mail-in: Get Your Drugs Tested
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- Take away: Fentanyl Test Strips
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Additional Resources
BC Centre for Substance Use Drug Checking Project
