Quirks
Bluelighter
The drug-psuedoscientist prove themselves to be masters of the obvious. If somebody at school gets bored they should OCR the full article from the journal. From the maps list:
Hope that this will be of interest to certain list members
and not out of scope for the Forum. At the bottom i've
reproduced part of a table from the text pertaining to DIY
colour tests. Overall, despite what some parties may
perceive as criticism in the abstract, this is a
interesting article that raises some thought provoking
points and worth tracking down if you can. quote:"Attempts
at confirmation of a pill's contents to address concernes
about pill ocntamination and the risk of fatality are also
misguided. Knowledge does not always lead to an anticipated
behavioural change. In terms of harm reduction, less
controversial measures are likely to receive a wider
audience with their impact probably exceeding that of pill
testing" (pg1147)
Harry Sumnall
Title: Ecstasy pill testing: harm minimization gone too
far?
Author(s): Adam R. Winstock; Kim Wolff; John Ramsey
Source: Addiction
Volume: 96 Number: 8 Page: 1139 --1148
DOI: 10.1080/09652140120060734
Publisher: Carfax Publishing, part of the Taylor & Francis
Group
Abstract: Harm reduction has become the focus of
public health initiatives and therapeutic intervention in
the management of dependent drug use over the last 20
years. The last decade has seen such approaches being
extended to recreational drug use. Most harm reduction
initiatives have aimed to inform users about risks and ways
of minimizing risk. The concept of providing illicit drug
users with quality assessment of their chosen drug is one
possible harm reduction intervention that until recently
has received little attention. In response to
well-publicized 'ecstasy'-related deaths organizations in
some European countries and the United States have chosen
to provide a 'pill testing service' for users. There are
two broad categories of pill testing offered. Simple colour
reagent test kits (Marquis Reagent and colour charts) form
the most widely used on-site pill testing method. Less
frequently, but more accurately, laboratory personnel with
access to sophisticated chromatographic equipment (high
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)) may provide
analysis of a pill. Pill testing kits have been advocated
as a 'tool to protect yourself against the polluted XTC
market'. We refute this line of reasoning. Of the different
tests only techniques such as GC-MS can identify
satisfactorily the psychoactive constituents present in
ecstasy pills. Colour tests based on an interpretation of a
colour response in the presence of a drug are, at best,
subjective. Pill testing of any description does not
guarantee safety, or protect the consumer against
individual responses to pills. At best it gives an
artificial 'shine of safety' to a group of diverse drugs
that remain both illicit and potentially harmful. Other
simpler harm reduction mechanisms are likely to be more
effective. Reference Links: 31
Table 1
- = ineffective, + = poor, ++ = some benefit, +++=effective
Compound On site Commercial
colour test
DIY colour test + chart
-----------------------------------------------------------------
MDMA + ++
2CB - -
4MTA, atropine - -
DOB + +
Other potential
contaminants - -
Accuracy for users -/+ +
Dosage information - -
Immediate results +++ +++
Risk of abuse by dealers +++ +++
Monitoring of drug trends - -
Allows early warning - -
Hope that this will be of interest to certain list members
and not out of scope for the Forum. At the bottom i've
reproduced part of a table from the text pertaining to DIY
colour tests. Overall, despite what some parties may
perceive as criticism in the abstract, this is a
interesting article that raises some thought provoking
points and worth tracking down if you can. quote:"Attempts
at confirmation of a pill's contents to address concernes
about pill ocntamination and the risk of fatality are also
misguided. Knowledge does not always lead to an anticipated
behavioural change. In terms of harm reduction, less
controversial measures are likely to receive a wider
audience with their impact probably exceeding that of pill
testing" (pg1147)
Harry Sumnall
Title: Ecstasy pill testing: harm minimization gone too
far?
Author(s): Adam R. Winstock; Kim Wolff; John Ramsey
Source: Addiction
Volume: 96 Number: 8 Page: 1139 --1148
DOI: 10.1080/09652140120060734
Publisher: Carfax Publishing, part of the Taylor & Francis
Group
Abstract: Harm reduction has become the focus of
public health initiatives and therapeutic intervention in
the management of dependent drug use over the last 20
years. The last decade has seen such approaches being
extended to recreational drug use. Most harm reduction
initiatives have aimed to inform users about risks and ways
of minimizing risk. The concept of providing illicit drug
users with quality assessment of their chosen drug is one
possible harm reduction intervention that until recently
has received little attention. In response to
well-publicized 'ecstasy'-related deaths organizations in
some European countries and the United States have chosen
to provide a 'pill testing service' for users. There are
two broad categories of pill testing offered. Simple colour
reagent test kits (Marquis Reagent and colour charts) form
the most widely used on-site pill testing method. Less
frequently, but more accurately, laboratory personnel with
access to sophisticated chromatographic equipment (high
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)) may provide
analysis of a pill. Pill testing kits have been advocated
as a 'tool to protect yourself against the polluted XTC
market'. We refute this line of reasoning. Of the different
tests only techniques such as GC-MS can identify
satisfactorily the psychoactive constituents present in
ecstasy pills. Colour tests based on an interpretation of a
colour response in the presence of a drug are, at best,
subjective. Pill testing of any description does not
guarantee safety, or protect the consumer against
individual responses to pills. At best it gives an
artificial 'shine of safety' to a group of diverse drugs
that remain both illicit and potentially harmful. Other
simpler harm reduction mechanisms are likely to be more
effective. Reference Links: 31
Table 1
- = ineffective, + = poor, ++ = some benefit, +++=effective
Compound On site Commercial
colour test
DIY colour test + chart
-----------------------------------------------------------------
MDMA + ++
2CB - -
4MTA, atropine - -
DOB + +
Other potential
contaminants - -
Accuracy for users -/+ +
Dosage information - -
Immediate results +++ +++
Risk of abuse by dealers +++ +++
Monitoring of drug trends - -
Allows early warning - -
