The Germans have a reputation for being disciplined and organised in much of what they do and this even extends to recreational drug taking.
Organised by the Institute for Addiction Research in Frankfurt am Main a 30 week scientific project was undertaken to see whether there were many dangerous substances added to drugs bought on the streets of Berlin according to the local health authority.
More than 500 recreational drug users in Berlin had their samples checked for purity
Some 530 people took part and submitted a total of 1,120 samples and it turned out that just 45 per cent were actually what they claimed to be whilst the balance contained unexpected and sometimes dangerous additions used to cut the samples submitted.
According to research, those advised of the negative analysis of their samples, were five times more likely to refrain from taking the drug than others and if a drug was found to have a higher concentration of the active ingredient than expected, those affected often reduced the dose.
A statement from Berlin Health Senator Ina Czyborra explained “The high level of acceptance of the service among users underlines its relevance,” and it became clear that almost 100 per cent of those taking part rated the project as useful and would use it again.
This was particularly encouraging as around three quarters of those who submitted samples to the study had never had any previous experience with the addiction support system in Berlin.
Recreational drug users in Berlin can have their samples checked for purity in one of three centres
There are now three centres in the German capital where drug users may submit samples of recreational drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, and speed but whilst the service has become well publicised since its introduction in 2023, there is a problem with financial support and capacity.
In 2024, some 866 people took advantage of the service and submitted 1,790 samples which were checked, but this was only a proportion of those who wanted to take advantage of the service but were turned away due to restrictions on capacity.
