Opioid Policy Research Collaborative

Drug Checking Resources

Have a sample to test?

Do you have a drug sample or remnant that you are concerned about? We can work with you to determine what may be in your drug sample. Email us at maddsbrandeis@gmail.com with what you think your sample is and your concern.

Street Check

STREETCHECK is an innovative community-partnered project at Brandeis University’s Opioid Policy Research Collaborative (OPRC) to develop and standardize sample collection and reporting for community drug checking programs.  The vision of STREETCHECK streamlines community illicit drug sample collection through the use of a mobile based application, speeds analysis of the samples, and makes it easier to communicate results back. Click for more information.

Community Drug Checking Program Resources

These resources are for organizations that are implementing community drug checking.

  1. Drug Checking Sample Reference Card
    This card is a resource to help you determine in the field if a sample is eligible to be submitted for drug checking.
  2. MADDS Partner Onboarding Video (5:53)
    This video is an introduction to MADDS and the sample collection process for MADDS sites.
  3. MADDS Partner Onboarding Video (short) (3:08)
    This video is a short introduction to MADDS and describes the sample collection process for sample collectors at MADDS sites.
  4. Processes, Instrument Overview, & Sample Accounting (1:10:33)
    This video describes the MADDS team process for setting up sites and an overview of the FTIR, GCMS and FTS instruments.
  5. Introduction to Sample Analysis (1:29:54)
    This video provides an introduction to analyzing samples that have been scanned on the FTIR.
  6. Inositol Demo (10:27)
    This video is an example of setting up the FTIR, scanning a sample and conducting analysis with the OPUS software.
  7. FTIR Spectroscopy Training (11:01)
    This video is another example of how to use the FTIR from set up to basic analysis.

Publications, Reports and Other Resources

TC Green, R Olson, C Jarczyk, e Erowid, F Erowid, S Thyssen, R Wightman, B del Pozo, L Michelson, A Consigli, B Reilly, S Ruiz. Implementation and Uptake of the Massachusetts Drug Supply Data Stream: A Statewide Public Health-Public Safety Partnership Drug Checking Program. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (2022) Nov-Dec 01;28(Suppl 6):S347-S354. DOI: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001581. PMID: 36194805; PMCID: PMC9531987.

Rachel S. Wightman, Earth Erowid, Fire Erowid, Sylvia Thyssen, Mary Wheeler, Benjamin Pulminskas, Rebecca Olson & Traci C. Green (2021). Confirmed reports of bupropion sold as crack cocaine in the illicit drug supply, Clinical Toxicology, DOI: 10.1080/15563650.2021.1898632

Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association. 2021. Fentanyl Test Strips Fact Sheet. Available at https://legislativeanalysis.org/fentanyl-test-strips-2/

Fentanyl Test Strip Kit Distribution Pilot Evaluation Report

Fentanyl test strip instructions and resources

Linktree to Resources and More Information

Contact us

maddsbrandeis@gmail.com