STAGE 5. Defining the action plan

What steps should be completed?

Step 1: Specify intervention actions

PILL TESTING IN RECREATIONAL CONTEXTS

Pill testing services originated in the Netherlands and have been extended to other countries to address the risks of adulteration of "synthetic drugs". They were subsequently expanded as an innovative proposal to reach specific high-risk user groups who are difficult to access.¹ Implementation of these services generates an ideological debate rather than a discussion of health risks, as their semi-legality (or illegality in some countries) is both the cause and effect of the small number of rigorous evaluations available.²

Their strengths include the fact that the health warnings issued under these programmes have greater credibility and acceptance among users than traditional prevention methods, they help promote safer behaviours among drug users in party settings, and they can help prevent initiation of synthetic drug use in some people and may delay their use by the undecided. Even though they do not cause direct and profound changes in drug use habits (users themselves agree), they do not increase drug use.³ They are also considered to help monitor the market for this type of drug, detect pills that are contaminated with other harmful products, facilitating alert campaigns, and they create opportunities for education when clients are informed of test results.

In contra, it has been noted that the problem of adulteration is becoming less important (at least in certain countries); analysing pills in party locations implies acceptance and even promotion of pill use; it gives a false sense of security; it contributes to the idea that these drugs are harmless; and even that these projects can be used for advertising purposes by dealers. The limited ability of in situ testing to adequately detect harmful substances has also been pointed out, as has the imbalance between their costs and benefits, and the fact that they generate contradictory messages about the risks arising from use and possession of controlled substances.⁴

In summary, despite the high level of acceptance of pill testing by certain sectors of the population, there has been no rigorous research in this field that could shed light on its real usefulness.¹ So, despite having been very popular and remaining so in some places, in situ pill testing is not endorsed by research, so it has fallen into disuse, even in pioneering countries like the Netherlands.⁵

 

References:

1 Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament de Salut. (2008). Llibre blanc de la prevenció a Catalunya: consum de drogues i problemes associats. Barcelona. Subdirecció General de Drogodependències. Direcció General de Salut Pública.

2 Burkhart G & Kriener H. (2003). Análisis de pastillas como prevención selectiva [Pill testing as selective prevention]. Adicciones. 15(Supl.2): 307-325.

3 Benschop A, Rabes M & Korf D. (2002). Pill testing, ecstasy and prevention: A scientific evaluation in three European cities. Amsterdam: Rozenberg.

4 The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). (2006). Developments in drug use within recreational settings. Lisboa: EMCDDA

5 Calafat A, Juan M & Duch MA. (2009). Intervenciones preventivas en contextos recreativos nocturnos: revisión [Preventive interventions in recreational nocturnal contexts; review]. Adicciones. 21(4): 387-414.