How To Test

Testing takes about 2 minutes per sample. You'll use a tiny amount of your drug, add one drop of reagent, then compare the colour to your chart.

Testing won't tell you if your drugs are "safe" or "pure", but it can help you spot red flags and make more informed decisions.

Remember the golden rule

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

  • A "normal" reaction doesn't mean something is safe, pure or low-risk.
  • An unexpected or unclear reaction is a sign to pause, rethink, and talk with your friends.
  • Always consider other risks too: dose, mixing drugs, your health, your environment, and the people you're with.

What You'll Need

Set up on a clean, flat surface before you start.

  1. 🩺 Your substance (powder, crystal, pill, capsule, or liquid)
  2. 💧 Reagent(s) from your kit
  3. 🧱 A white, non-porous testing surface (a ceramic plate or the bottom of a mug works well. Do not use paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, or any coloured surface.)
  4. 🔪 A tool for handling the sample (e.g. tiny scoop, clean knife tip, razor, or similar)

🧼 Optional but helpful

  1. Gloves (reagents are corrosive)
  2. Toothpicks or cocktail sticks for stirring
  3. Baking soda and a bit of water for clean-up
  4. Good white lighting – avoid coloured/LED party lights if you can

The Testing Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

⚠️ Always use a fresh, tiny sample for each new reagent.
Re-using the same bit of drug across different reagents can give messy results.

1

Prepare Your Sample

Place a very small amount of your substance onto your testing surface. You only need a tiny bit.

  • For powders or crystals: Use a sample about the size of a pinhead. It's a good idea to crush any crystals into a fine powder first.
  • For pills: Scrape off a tiny amount of the pill to create a small pile of powder.
  • For blotter paper or gel tabs: Cut off a tiny corner of the tab.
  • For liquids: Use a single, small drop. (If you don't get a result, you can let the drop air-dry on the plate and then test the residue).

ℹ️ Note for Morris Reagent: You'll want to use a slightly larger sample for this specific test, about double the size of a pinhead.

2

Add the Reagent

  1. Carefully uncap the bottle.
  2. Hold it just above your sample.
  3. Add one single drop directly onto the drug.

One drop is enough. More drops will not give a "better" result – they just make colours harder to read.

⚠️ Important

  • Don't let the bottle tip touch the drug or plate – this can contaminate the whole bottle.
  • Always recap tightly after use.

ℹ️ Two-part reagents (like Simon's)

  • Add one drop from Bottle A onto a fresh sample, then one drop from Bottle B onto the same spot.
  • Watch the colour that develops where they mix.

ℹ️ Morris reagent

  • Add one drop from Bottle A, then one drop from Bottle B onto the same sample.
  • Stir gently with a clean toothpick or sharp point for about 20 seconds to see the reaction clearly.
3

Watch and Compare

👀 Watch closely from the moment the drop touches the sample.

  • Most reagents will show their main colour change within 10–30 seconds.
  • Some (like Ehrlich) can take up to 5 minutes to reach their final colour – be patient.

➡️ Then:

  • Compare the colour (or sequence of colours) to the chart that came with your kit.
  • Use neutral lighting if possible – coloured lights can make it harder to see the true colour.

🤔 If you're unsure, you can:

  • Re-test with a fresh sample, and/or
  • Try a different reagent on a new pin-head of the same batch.
4

Clean Up Safely

Reagents are corrosive. Clean up properly so your surface is ready for next time.

  1. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda over the used reagent on your plate.
  2. You might see some fizzing – that's the baking soda neutralising the corrosive liquid.
  3. Once fizzing stops, wipe everything carefully with tissue or paper towel.
  4. Wash your testing surface with soap and water.
  5. Dry thoroughly and put your kit away, out of reach of children and pets.

If Something Looks Wrong

🚩 Treat any of these as red flags:

  • No reaction at all when you expected a clear one
  • Colours that don't match anything on the chart
  • Muddy, grey, or very weak colours, even after waiting
  • Different reagents giving totally confusing or conflicting results

In those situations, the lowest-risk choice is not to use the drug.

If you do choose to use it anyway, consider:

  • Using much less than usual,
  • Avoiding mixing with other drugs (including alcohol and medications), and
  • Making sure someone you trust is around and knows what you've taken.