Qualitative drug testing: Harm reduction programs in Colombia

A research conducted by the Colombian Government on the levels of purity and types of adulterants used to dilute cocaine, has recently been published. From a sample of three Colombian cities, it was discovered that more than 60% of consumed cocaine is in fact not cocaine at all, but cocaine-based paste. Likewise, users of other substances such as LSD and MDMA have reported modified substances generating adverse health effects and harms.

Civil society organizations have recognized that the adulteration of psychoactive substances is an inherent negative consequence of the prohibitionist regime. Focusing on harm reduction, these organizations are now generating strategies that are not only focusing on protecting users from harms associated with the substances, but also from the risks of consuming adulterated substances. It is on these lines that services aimed at analyzing psychoactive substances are gaining importance. These services provide immediate information for users wishing to know whether what they bought in the black market was what they had been told or not.

Given these developments, the NGO ‘Acción Técnica Social’ is proud to present their new services on substance analysis. These services are presented to partner organizations, substance users, and interested government stakeholders as part of a harm reduction initiative in festive areas: “Echele Cabeza cuando se de en la cabeza” ("Use your head when you get high"). Since late last year, and with support from the Spanish organization “Energy Control”, ATS has been developing an important and necessary service to protect the integrity and health of people who use drugs in the city of Bogota.

At the moment, the ATS substance analysis service is designed as a mobile unit to be utilized at parties and events where substances such as 2CB, MDMA, amphetamines, and cocaine are used. The mobile unit provides information on whether substances have been adulterated or are what they were described to be. In such cases, further information on how to avoid associated risks is given to users.

“Echele Cabeza cuando se de en la cabeza” is an initiative supported by the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection. ATS has established an agreement with the national government to provide field-work information relating to the early recognition of new substances and adulterants in Colombian streets. Released last week, the first information alert confirmed the presence of adulterated LSD among the substances sold in Colombia. An example of a substance also found in other countries is the compound 25I-NBEOMe (2CI), identified by the Energy Control team.

We consider the current agreement with the national government as important since it allows greater reach for efforts aimed at protecting the health of users. Nonetheless, ATS encourages the Colombian government to publicize their support and promote the visionary strategies that have been proven successful in contexts similar to the Colombian one. In the future, ATS hopes to implement services where users are able to leave their substances for analysis. Users would be able, after a defined period of time, to check online the contents of the analyzed substance. At any rate, ATS hopes that before the end of the next semester, they will be able to conduct a major sample collection. Even though the substances to sample are yet to be decided, the purpose of this project is to create a detailed sample of substance use in the city of Bogota.

At a time where both the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ are being globalized, ATS trusts in international cooperation to place at the disposal of partner organizations all the information they will compile. ATS considers of extreme importance the fact of being able to share data on trends in drug use and the composition of substances. This will allow us to provide better services that efficiently protect people who use drugs.

Let’s continue to move forward on the construction of open, free, and just societies.

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