“Know Your Stuff Urges Drug Testing in Response to Warnings of Contaminated LSD and MDMA”
A New Zealand drug testing agency is advising residents to have their substances examined due to the circulation of “dodgy” LSD tabs containing highly potent psychedelic stimulants, which have resulted in fatalities abroad.
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Casey Spearin, the general manager of Know Your Stuff NZ, informed the Herald that a hazardous analogue for LSD, the agency’s third most commonly tested drug, has been in circulation recently.
Drug Testing
Spearin mentioned, “There have been recent instances of counterfeit tabs circulating that do not contain LSD but instead have N-Bombs [NBOMe] or NBOH-style drugs, which are psychedelic stimulants that can be quite dangerous. The dosage is significantly lower than LSD and has resulted in several deaths globally.”
Deaths in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia have been linked to N-bombs, such as the case of 17-year-old Henry Kwan in Sydney, who tragically jumped off a balcony under the influence, believing he could fly.
In New Zealand, incidents in 2015 saw five people hospitalized in Christchurch after consuming N-bombs, with one individual, a 20-year-old, left in critical condition in the ICU with multiple organ failure.
Spearin emphasized that NBOMe drugs have a distinctive taste, often prompting people to follow the saying, “if it’s bitter, it’s a spitter.”
Additionally, Spearin noted that cathinones, commonly known as bath salts, are still being found as substitutes for MDMA in New Zealand.
Eutylone, a stimulant similar to MDMA but lacking the same euphoria and requiring a lower dosage, is a common substitute. Spearin cautioned that eutylone’s effects wear off quickly, leading individuals to redose, and prolonged use can result in extended periods of wakefulness and, in extreme cases, psychosis.
Despite MDMA expected to remain popular over the summer, the agency has observed a significant increase in the number of cocaine samples, testing close to 200 this year compared to about 20 the previous summer.
Although recreational drug use is illegal, the New Zealand Drug Foundation notes that 49% of the adult population has used such substances at some point, often at events like music festivals.
In 2020, New Zealand amended the Misuse of Drugs Act to legalize drug-checking services, making it the first country in the world to do so. Know Your Stuff NZ has experienced high demand, doubling its testing equipment to 12 infrared spectrometers and recruiting over 900 volunteers.
The drug testing process involves providing a small sample of the substance to Know Your Stuff NZ, which is then tested using re-agents and an FTIR spectrometer. After testing, individuals are informed of the substance composition, provided with harm reduction advice, and given the option to have the substance safely disposed of by the organization if they choose not to use it.
