Reagent testing is a quick way to get more information about what might be in your drugs.

You add a tiny scrape of your substance to a clean surface, then add a drop of test liquid (reagent). The liquid changes colour depending on what it reacts with. By comparing the colour to a chart, you can see if the result is consistent with what you think you have, or if something unexpected might be going on.

Reagent tests are presumptive – they give strong clues, not a final, lab-confirmed answer.

Because what you bought isn’t always what you’ve got.

The unregulated drug market is unpredictable. Two pills or powders that look identical can contain completely different substances, doses, or mixes. Testing can help you:

• Spot unexpected substances or weird reactions
• Decide whether to use at all
• Change how much you use or how you use it
• Have better conversations with your friends about risk
  

Testing doesn’t make using drugs “safe”, but it can help you make more informed choices.

Reagent tests are for spotting red flags, not giving green lights.

A “good” or expected colour reaction does not mean a substance is safe, pure, or low-risk. Your goal is to look for anything unexpected:

• An unexpected reaction is a clear sign to pause, reconsider, and talk to your friends
• A “normal” reaction still means there are risks – dose, mixing with other drugs, your health, and your environment all matter

Reagent tests are good at telling you when something is definitely not what you expected.

They can help you:

• Spot when a sample is likely very different from what you thought (e.g. no MDMA-type reaction when you expected MDMA)
• Get a rough idea of which family of substances might be present (for example, MDMA-like vs. ketamine-like vs. LSD-like)
• Notice patterns over time – for example, if a certain pressed pill repeatedly shows an unusual reaction
  

They do not tell you purity, strength, dose, or safety.

This part is just as important – there are big limits to what reagents can do. They cannot:

• Tell you purity, strength or dose
• Guarantee that something is “safe” to use
• Identify everything in a mix – especially if there are multiple drugs present
• Detect very small amounts of some drugs
• Reliably identify brand-new or rare substances
• Detect fentanyl or nitazenes (see next question)
  

Because of these limits, you should always treat reagent results as one piece of information, not a final answer.

No. Standard reagent tests cannot reliably detect fentanyl or nitazenes.

Even if your reagent test gives a “normal” or expected colour change, there could still be:

• Fentanyl or nitazenes present in small amounts
• Other unexpected opioids or strong sedatives
• Other drugs that don’t show up clearly on your chosen reagents
  

To check specifically for fentanyl or nitazenes, you need specialised fentanyl test strips and nitazene test strips, which also have their own limitations. A negative strip result is not a guarantee of safety.

Reagents are corrosive liquids, so treat them with respect.

Used properly, a home kit is designed to be low-risk, but:

• Avoid getting reagent on your skin, eyes, or clothes
• Wear gloves if you have them, especially if you are testing a lot of samples
• Only use a non-porous surface (white ceramic or glass – never plastic, paper or metal that might react)
• Don’t lean directly over the reaction, and keep it away from children and pets
• After testing, neutralise and wash your surface (see our “How to Test” guide for clean-up steps)
  

If reagent gets on your skin, rinse thoroughly with water. If it gets in your eyes, flush with lots of water and seek medical advice.

If something looks wrong, treat it as a red flag.

If your result:

• Doesn’t match any colour on the chart
• Looks muddy, grey, or “off”
• Doesn’t react at all

…then:

1. Double-check you used enough sample and only one drop of reagent
2. Try again with a fresh sample and a fresh drop of reagent
3. If it’s still weird or unclear, assume the substance is not what you expected
   

In that situation, the lowest-risk option is not using it. At the very least, consider not using it at all, or drastically reducing dose and avoiding mixing with other drugs.

Best practice is to use a fresh tiny sample for each reagent.

Using the same sample for multiple reagents can:

• Dilute or wash away the first reaction
• Cause cross-reactions between reagents
• Make colours harder to read
  

Instead:

• Scrape a few separate pin-head sized samples
• Test each one with a different reagent
• Compare all your results together with the colour chart
  

You only need a tiny amount of drug for each test.

In Australia, it is legal to buy and own reagent test kits.

However:

• Possessing illegal drugs is still illegal, even if you’re testing them
• Legal protections that apply in some official drug checking services (like festival or fixed-site clinics) do not automatically apply at home
• Police can use their discretion. Carrying a kit might be seen as a sign you use drugs and could be one factor in a decision to search you
  

This is general information only and not legal advice. If you’re worried about your situation, consider getting legal advice from a community legal centre or drug user organisation.

Keep reagents cool, dark, and upright.

To help them work properly for longer:

• Store them in a cool, dark place – a fridge or very cool cupboard is ideal
• Keep lids closed tightly and wipe away any drips
• If you’re at a festival, keep them out of direct sun (e.g. in an insulated bag or tent pocket)
• Let bottles come back to room temperature before using, so condensation doesn’t dilute the reagents
  

Always keep kits out of reach of children and pets.

With good storage, most liquid reagents are reliable for around 1–2 years after you first open them, and often longer in a fridge or freezer. But they don’t suddenly “switch off” – they gradually weaken over time, so it’s more about watching how they behave than a specific date.

• Room temperature (cool, dark cupboard): Often fine for up to about 12 months if kept away from heat and sunlight.
• Fridge: Most reagents remain usable for 1–2 years when stored in a sealed bottle in the fridge
• Freezer: Can last even longer if kept frozen and thawed to room temperature before use.
  

Different reagents age at different speeds.

At-home kits are a useful harm reduction tool, but they are not a replacement for professional drug checking services.

Professional services (like fixed-site clinics and festival-based drug checking) usually:

• Use multiple technologies (e.g. FTIR / NIR spectrometers, chromatography, lab confirmation)
• Can give more detailed information about what’s in a sample
• Often provide health and harm reduction advice from trained workers
• May be able to contribute to early alerts and public health warnings
  

If you have access to a professional service where you live, we strongly encourage you to use it.

At-home kits are still valuable – especially if you can’t access a service – but remember their limitations.

This depends on where you live.

In some parts of Australia, drug checking services may be available at:

• Festival-based drug checking clinics
• Fixed-site services
• Hospital-partnered or health-service-run trials
• Peer-run or harm-reduction services
  

Because the landscape changes, the best way to find up-to-date information is to:

• Check the website or socials of your local drug user organisation, harm-reduction service, or health department
• Ask at your local needle and syringe program, peer service, or AOD service

If you’re unsure, you can always choose not to use.

If you decide to use anyway, you can reduce some risks by:

• Using a much smaller amount first (“start low, go slow”)
• Avoiding mixing with other drugs (including alcohol and medications)
• Making sure someone sober or more alert is around and knows what you’ve taken
• Having naloxone available if there’s any chance opioids could be involved
• Looking after each other – if something feels off, seek help early
  

Remember: testing is just one part of staying safer. Your decisions, your environment, your health, and your friends all matter too.