BayArea DanceSafe Volunteers testing pills in Oakland, California. November 1999

• What is Onsite Pill Testing?
• A short FAQ for the General Public
• How to do onsite pill testing responsibly

  What is onsite pill testing?

  Onsite pill testing is a public safety service that DanceSafe and other harm reduction organizations offer to ecstasy users at raves, nightclubs and other public events where ecstasy is used socially. Users who are unsure of the authenticity of a pill they possess can bring it to a booth where trained harm reduction volunteers will test it for using a reliable, liquid reagent. To read about why ecstasy pill testing is needed, see our main pill testing page.

  All DanceSafe volunteers are trained to follow strict, harm reduction protocols for responsible pill testing. These protocols have become international standards and are used in many other countries. They are described in detail below. But first, here are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding onsite pill testing.

  A short FAQ for the General Public

  1. If someone’s pill tests positive for ecstasy, isn’t it illegal to hand it back to them?

  We always hand the pill back to the user before we perform the test. The test is performed by putting a drop of testing fluid onto a tiny bit of powder we scrape from the pill. Our volunteers are in possession of the tablet only long enough to obtain the scraping and hand it back. Also, the chemical composition of the scraping is thoroughly destroyed upon contact with the testing fluid.

  2. Do the police allow you to do this publicly?

  Yes. Pill testing is understood as a necessary harm reduction service that saves lives without encouraging or enabling drug use. In every city where DanceSafe has tested pills onsite, we have had the support of the local police. The officers present have granted users amnesty, agreeing not to arrest them for utilizing our testing services. Similar amnesty has been given to needle exchange programs, addiction treatment centers and emergency room staff treating overdose victims. If the police started arresting users who sought out these health services, they would no longer be utilized, and more people would die.

  3. Doesn’t pill testing promote or enable drug use?

  No. Every person who has come to our booth to have a pill tested was going to swallow it anyway. We have never enabled anyone to obtain or ingest a pill they weren’t already going to take. But we have successfully prevented thousands of people from ingesting pills they thought contained ecstasy, but actually contained different drugs entirely, many of which are far more dangerous that MDMA (real ecstasy).

  4. But aren’t you giving people the false impression that ecstasy is a safe drug?

  We follow strict, harm reduction protocols around pill testing that were carefully designed not to give false safety reassurances to the user. No drug us is entirely safe, including and especially ecstasy, which has many inherent risks. The language we use to communicate a positive test result carefully explains this. We also require them to read a sign which further reinforces the message that a positive test result does not mean their pill is "safe" or "good." (See full details below).

  How to do onsite pill testing responsibly: A guide for newly forming harm reduction groups.

  Getting started.

  If you would like to provide an ecstasy adulterant screening service as part of your rave harm reduction work, read through this section carefully, and then give us an email at our contact us link.

  To do on-site pill testing accurately and responsibly, you will need a few things.

  Just click image to download a pdf version of form.(coming soon)

  First, you will need a form to record the test results. It is important to keep track of every pill you test; it's name, color, size, test result, etc. This will come in handy if later someone reports having an adverse reaction from one of the pills. The following is our standard pill testing form.

  We'll explain how to use the form later.

  Next, you will need a pair of calipers. This is so you can measure the size (width and thickness) of the pills you test. Measuring the pill is important in order to identify copycat pills. Some pills look the same but have different sizes, which indicates they were not pressed at the same time and likely contain different ingredients.

  Here is what calipers look like: You can purchase calipers from any hardware store. Cheap ones cost around $15 to $20

   You will also need a sign explaining to users what a positive result means, and what it does not mean. It is important to have this sign visible at the testing booth at all times, and to make sure everyone who has a pill tested reads it, preferably before you test their pill. This way there is no confusion as to what the test result actually indicates. We have found the following wording to be the most clear and effective.
  

  
  
  
  

  To view or download a full-size PDF version of this sign, just click on it (coming soon).

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  You will also need to have a testing kit, of course, and you'll need to know how to use it. If you are unfamiliar with how an ecstasy testing kit works, or you need to obtain one, click here. You will also need a utility knife to scrape pills, a white, ceramic plate to perform the tests on, paper towels and a water source to periodically clean the plate, and a garbage can with a lid to dispose of the paper towels safely.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  The Basic Process.

  Let's imagine we are at a booth and a woman comes up and asks us to test her pill. Here's what we do.

  1. Identifying and recording the pill.

     We take the pill from her and examine both sides, noticing the color and logo. Then we ask her what the pill is called. On the pill testing form (above) we write down exactly what she tells us. People refer to the same brands of E using different names, and there is no "correct" name. If the pill turns out to be fake, we will want to be able to inform users of all the various names the pill is being called. We never assume we know the "real" name of the pill.

     Next, we write down the color of the pill and do a quick sketch of both sides of the pill in the two circles provided on the pill testing form. The sketch is important because we often find different pills of the same size and color, whose logos differ only slightly. (Does the crown, for example, have three or four points on it? Are the points actually pointy? Or do they have round balls on top of them?) The other side of the pill may have the same logo, it may be blank, or it may be scored (a line across the pill).

     Next, we ask her whether she purchased the pill inside the event. If she says "yes," we circle the "Y" on the form. If she says "no," we circle the "N" on the form. If she did purchase the pill at the event, we tell her that it is always more dangerous to purchase ecstasy tablets inside raves or clubs, particularly if she does not know the dealer. (Most of the fake tablets we have come across have been sold to users inside of the event.)

     Next, we measure the width and thickness of the pill with a pair of calipers and write down the number of millimeters in the space provided on the form.

     The pill form now looks something like this:

   

  1. Scraping and returning the pill.

     When we scrape the pill, we usually scrape from the edge of the pill, applying light pressure at first, so we don't accidentally scrape off a big chunk. (Remember, only a tiny bit is needed.) With a little practice, scraping becomes very easy. After we have scraped a tiny bit of the pill onto the plate, we immediately hand the pill back to the user.

     WE NEVER PERFORM THE TEST UNTIL WE HAVE HANDED BACK THE PILL.

  2. Performing and recording the test.

     After performing the test (using the color chart and instructions that come with the kit), we circle the plus sign or the minus sign on the form, indicating a positive or a negative result.

  3. Communicating the results.

     This is the most important part of the whole process. We have to be very careful in how we communicate the results. Many users are looking for reassurance that their pill is "safe," or that they are going to be "okay" if they take their pill. We never tell them this. Remember, a positive test for the presence of ecstasy does NOT mean the pill is pure, and even if it is pure, this does NOT mean the pill is "safe." All drugs, including MDMA, have inherent risks. We always tell them this, and we ALWAYS HAVE THEM READ THE SIGN (available for download above). This is because it is harder for someone to misunderstand something if they both hear it and read it.

     If the test result comes back negative for ecstasy, we explain to them what that means. Usually a completely fake pill will not turn any color. If this happens we tell them there is definitely no ecstasy in their pill. We do not know what is in their pill, but we know for sure that it does not contain ecstasy or any ecstasy-like substance (MDMA, MDA, MDE).

     We NEVER tell them NOT to take the pill. This is important for two basic reasons. First, we are not there to give out advice. The choice of whether or not to ingest a pill (even one with unknown ingredients) is always up to the user alone. Second, if we tell them not to take one pill, then we would be implying that it is okay to take other pills (like the ones that we don't tell users not to take). Once again, WE NEVER TELL ANYONE NOT TO TAKE THEIR PILL. IT IS ALWAYS UP TO THEM, NO MATTER WHAT THE TEST RESULT SHOWS.

     For the same reason, if their pill tests positive for DXM, we NEVER tell them that their pill is "dangerous." This would imply that other pills are not dangerous, and would be incorrect. There is always some danger in taking a black market drug. If they ask us, "does this mean the pill is dangerous?" we will answer, "DXM has inherent risks, like all drugs." Then we tell them what we know about DXM, including the effect it has on most people, the particular risks associated with the drug, etc. We explain to them that we have seen more adverse reactions related to DXM pills than real MDMA pills, that DXM feels nothing like MDMA, and that they should be cautious if they choose to take the pill. We may tell them that DXM is "more likely" than MDMA to cause serotonin syndrome, particularly when dancing in a hot environment, but we never say it is categorically "dangerous."

  4. Completing the rest of the form

     The next column on the form is to record any user reports of adverse reactions related to a particular pill. We always ask the user to report to us any unusual effects. If a number of users report strange effects from the same brand of pill (hallucinations, loss of motor control, etc.), this may indicate that the pill is fake or adulterated, and we try to get one sent in the laboratory for chromatography testing.

  If you are still interested . . .

  There are many other important issues relating to on-site pill testing that you should know before you start. If, after reading this, you are still interested in providing this service in your area, please call us here at the national office. We can help you sort through some of the more complicated issues, like how to appraoch promoters and how to get the support of your health department, city council and police.

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