ArticleDrug and alcohol dependence2025
Impact of having a regular drug dealer on obtaining drug checking results consistent with expectations during a drug toxicity crisis in a Canadian setting.
Article in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Interpol review of forensic drug chemistry, 2022-2025.Forensic science international. Synergy · 2026Review
- Risk reduction behaviours following the detection of unexpected drugs through community drug checking: a cross-sectional study.Harm reduction journal · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe unregulated illicit drug supply is a key factor in Canada's ongoing drug crisis and a significant public health concern. This study explores whether having a regular drug dealer impacts the likelihood of obtaining drug checking results consistent with expectations (i.e., the drug the individual expected was detected using drug checking technology, irrespective of other substances present).
methodsData were derived from a cross-sectional study, conducted between March 2020 and August 2023, across 22 harm reduction sites in British Columbia (BC), Canada. These sites operate drug checking services using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and immuno-assay strips. Logistic regression analysis examined the relationship between having a regular dealer and obtaining drug checking results consistent with expectations.
resultsA total of 322 participants were included in the study: 268 (83.2 %) reported a regular drug dealer and 260 (80.7 %) obtained results consistent with their primary drug expectation. Among those with a regular dealer, 240 (74.8 %) obtained drugs from them 100 % of the time. After adjusting for confounders, multivariable logistic regression analysis found no significant association between having a regular dealer and obtaining expected drug checking results (adjusted odds ratio = 1.10; 95 % confidence interval: 0.48 - 2.52, p-value = 0.827).
conclusionDespite assumptions that a regular dealer increases the likelihood of receiving results consistent with primary drug expectations, this study found no association. These findings support the importance of drug checking, education on the unpredictability of the unregulated drug supply, and other essential harm reduction services in addressing Canada's public health crisis.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.