Assessing the need for, and views on, drug checking services in Edinburgh

Abstract

First paragraph: The unregulated and complex nature of the illicit drug market poses risk of harm, including fatal and non-fatal overdose, to people who use drugs. In Scotland, use and availability of non-prescribed ‘novel’ benzodiazepines (often termed ‘street’ benzos) has significantly contributed to high levels of drugrelated deaths. Street benzos, often used in conjunction with alcohol, opioids, and other substances, are often designed to mimic traditionally prescribed benzodiazepines but can vary significantly in potency and composition. Additionally, there has been an increase in detection of highly potent synthetic opioids, ‘nitazenes’, in the Scottish market, raising further concern about the risks posed by the variable, unregulated drug market. Given such challenges, there has been increased policy support and interest in developing harm reduction interventions to address such issues.