Lydia Karch1, Samuel Tobias2, Clare Schmidt3, Maya Doe-Simkins4, Nicole Carter4, Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar5, Suzanne Carlberg-Racich6. 1. Cook County Department of Public Health, 7556 Jackson Blvd, Forest Park, IL, 60130, United States. Electronic address: lydia@anypositivechange.org. 2. British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, #400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9, Canada. 3. Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Ave, 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, United States. 4. Independent. 5. University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 750 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53726, United States. 6. Chicago Recovery Alliance, 3100 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States; DePaul University Master of Public Health Program, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL, 60604, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Opioid overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise, with the majority of deaths involving fentanyl. Drug checking has been used in Europe and Canada to assess adulteration of the illegal drug supply, but faces legal barriers in the United States. We are presenting information from a pilot mobile program offering drug checking services to participants of a harm reduction program in Chicago, Illinois, USA. METHODS: Drug checking services were provided at five mobile outreach and one fixed-point drop-in location in Chicago, IL, between March 2019 and August 2020. Three technologies were used: a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrometer, a handheld high-pressure mass spectrometer (HPMS), and immunoassay fentanyl test strips (FTS). We report on results generated by this combination of technology during the study period. RESULTS: During the study period, 422 total samples were tested, the majority of which were sold as dope/heroin (66.7 %). Of the 282 samples sold as dope/heroin, 12.8 % matched to fentanyl on the FTIR, 47.5 % had fentanyl identified on the HPMS, and 57.8 % produced a positive FTS. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot program demonstrated the feasibility of using three technologies to assess for the presence of fentanyl in user-submitted samples, revealed discordant results from the technologies, and provided information on the local drug market.
BACKGROUND: Opioid overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise, with the majority of deaths involving fentanyl. Drug checking has been used in Europe and Canada to assess adulteration of the illegal drug supply, but faces legal barriers in the United States. We are presenting information from a pilot mobile program offering drug checking services to participants of a harm reduction program in Chicago, Illinois, USA. METHODS: Drug checking services were provided at five mobile outreach and one fixed-point drop-in location in Chicago, IL, between March 2019 and August 2020. Three technologies were used: a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrometer, a handheld high-pressure mass spectrometer (HPMS), and immunoassay fentanyl test strips (FTS). We report on results generated by this combination of technology during the study period. RESULTS: During the study period, 422 total samples were tested, the majority of which were sold as dope/heroin (66.7 %). Of the 282 samples sold as dope/heroin, 12.8 % matched to fentanyl on the FTIR, 47.5 % had fentanyl identified on the HPMS, and 57.8 % produced a positive FTS. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot program demonstrated the feasibility of using three technologies to assess for the presence of fentanyl in user-submitted samples, revealed discordant results from the technologies, and provided information on the local drug market.
Authors: Sarah S Shin; Kate LaForge; Erin Stack; Justine Pope; Gillian Leichtling; Jessica E Larsen; Judith M Leahy; Andrew Seaman; Daniel Hoover; Laura Chisholm; Christopher Blazes; Robin Baker; Mikaela Byers; Katie Branson; P Todd Korthuis Journal: Harm Reduct J Date: 2022-07-11
Authors: Wendy Masterton; Danilo Falzon; Gillian Burton; Hannah Carver; Bruce Wallace; Elizabeth V Aston; Harry Sumnall; Fiona Measham; Rosalind Gittins; Vicki Craik; Joe Schofield; Simon Little; Tessa Parkes Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-09-22 Impact factor: 4.614