Saturday 27th January 2024 is a red letter day for drug checking and for harm reduction more generally in the UK. After 12 years of preparations, evaluations and negotiations, The Loop starts the UK’s first regular drug checking service (DCS)[i]. With more cities due to follow soon, this launch represents the start of a new era for drug checking and it could not come at a more important time. Turn back the clock 12 years and drug treatment conversations were focused on abstinence, 12-step programmes and getting service users out of treatment and into recovery who were ‘parked’ on methadone. Getting drug checking across the line has been a different process in different political contexts in different countries and regions.

Source: The Guardian January 26, 2024 12:23 UTC