Getting a substance tested

The Loop does not offer a postal testing service to the general public outside of our testing events.

Details of our testing services are announced on our Twitter account as soon as possible after contracts are signed and funders have agreed that an announcement is possible, and we cannot accept samples outside of these announced service times.

Outside of our public drug checking services, WEDINOS is the only UK organisation to currently offer a postal testing service. Results are published online after samples are delivered and analysed. WEDINOS is not able to receive samples of substances through the post which are suspected to be controlled drugs when posted and WEDINOS does not give information on purity of submitted samples.

DrugsData.org and Energy Control International (based in Barcelona) also offer postal lab testing services. Energy Control International provides information on percentage purity where possible.

Full lab testing is the minimum requirement for pharmaceuticals (like Xanax and Valium) and cannabis products (including CBD oil).

Some basic testing can be done at home with “reagent tests” to get an immediate test result. The reusable bottles contain a chemical which changes colour depending on the substance it is exposed to. Mixing some with a piece of your substance allows you to immediately determine if the substance is different to the one you expected. The Loop uses this as one of its secondary test methods and obtains its reagents from Reagent Tests UK.

Reagent Tests UK is also able to answer questions about testing and substance identification.

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