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July 27 2023 - CTV News “Edmonton queer and trans clinic given green light to offer free, confidential drug testing for all”
Spectrum Drug Testing is also portable. The health collective is planning to get more devices and staff to make the service available outside its office once they’re allowed to do so.
Murray said their location “is a safe space to land” for anyone wanting to have their drugs tested.
“Everybody that’s here has had experience using substances in the past, and we’re all from the queer community,” she said. “Regardless of where you’re from, what your background is, we’re going to make sure you’re safe and supported in this space.”
Aug 2 2023 - Global News story “Alberta fentanyl-related deaths up 5,000% in 10 years, study reveals toxicity cause”
It’s no secret that Edmonton’s drug supply is toxic, but it hasn’t always been clear what’s making it that way. A new study sheds some light on what is in this toxic supply, how it’s killing drug users and how a new drug testing site in the city can help save their lives.
The study by Dr. Craig Chatterton, chief toxicologist with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, looks at drug concentrations in the blood of people who died of fentanyl poisoning over the last three years — a time when there was a drastic uptick in drug poisoning deaths across the province. This April marked the highest number of drug poisoning deaths ever recorded, over 180. The previous high recorded was 175 in November 2021.
This is where Edmonton’s new drug testing site comes into play. These sites are rare — B.C. and Ontario are the only other provinces that have them — but offer another level of drug harm reduction.
August 1st - CBC News - “Edmonton substance users can get drugs checked at new downtown testing site”
Spectrum, launched last week by the Queer and Trans Health Collective, is the first physical site in Edmonton to offer a drug-checking service.
"We know that people are going to use substances whether we like it or not," Jess Murray, the collective's harm-reduction manager, said in an interview last week.
"We just want to make sure that if they are using substances, they know what's in the substances, they're able to get supplies for their substances to use them more safely."
Aug 2 2023- City News story New drug testing service launched in Edmonton
A new harm reduction service is launching designed to test street drugs for harmful substances. The program receiving a federal approval from Ottawa.
August 3rd - 6:30AM CHED Radio - “Spectrum drug checking showcasing festival services at disco in the park”
Spectrum drug checking overviews services and supports, and will be showcasing its sanctuary and outreach services for drug testing at Disco in the Park on August 5th 2023 at 1:30pm.
August 1st - Edmonton AM Radio - “Edmonton substance users can get drugs checked at new downtown testing site”
Provincial figures show emergency services in Edmonton are responding to drug poisonings in record high numbers. But an organization in Edmonton is hoping its new drug testing program on Jasper Avenue will help save lives. Spectrum Drug Testing is run by the Queer and Trans Health Collective.
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