Ep. 158- Test Your Poison ft. Dan
Hey hows it going? Wishing everyone happy holidays. My name is Von. I am a musician & host of the podcast “The Voncast Show”. I typically do audio format for my podcasts. This will be my first online text interview. I interview Dan who is the founder of Test Your Poison. Test Your Poison is a harm reduction business that sells drug test/ check kits . We talk about Harm Reduction (and it’s stigma), fentanyl misconceptions, how Test Your Poison came about and more. Hope you enjoy!
Von: First i want to say thank you for agreeing to do this interview. Who do i have the pleasure of interviewing?
Dan: Hey there Von, thank you for reaching out to chat with us! My name is Dan and I am the founder of Test Your Poison.
Von: As a recovering addict, i am a huge supporter of harm reduction. Can you go over the definition of harm reduction & how it applies to drug use?
Dan: Harm reduction is a public health approach that seeks to reduce the negative consequences associated with risky behaviors. Harm reduction strategies can take many forms, but generally involve providing individuals with the tools and support they need to make healthier choices and minimize potential harm to themselves and others. Examples of harm reduction strategies include providing clean needles to injection drug users to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis, providing safe injection sites where people can use drugs under medical supervision, or as in our case, providing people with drug testing/checking kits which are tools that are used to identify the composition of a particular drug or substance. These kits are typically used at music festivals or other events where people may be using drugs, in order to help users make informed decisions about what they are taking and to identify potentially dangerous substances.
Von: Can you give me the medical term for an addict / addiction?
Dan: I think the definition provided by the National Institute on Drug Use is great. They say addiction is a chronic brain disorder characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. Addiction is considered a brain disorder because it involves changes to the structure and function of the brain, particularly in the areas involved in reward, motivation, and decision-making. These changes can lead to compulsive drug use and other behaviors that can be difficult to control, even in the face of negative consequences. Addiction is a chronic condition, which means that it can last for a long time and may require ongoing treatment and support to manage. It is also a relapsing disorder, which means that people who are in recovery from addiction are at risk of experiencing a relapse, or a return to drug use.
Von: What is Test Your Poison & how did it come about?
Dan: Test Your Poison is a harm reduction business that focuses on drug testing/checking kits. As mentioned above they are tools that are used to identify the composition of a particular drug or substance, all in order to help people make informed decisions about what they are taking. Drug testing kits typically use a chemical reagent that reacts with the drug or substance in question, producing a colour change or other visible indication of its composition. Test Your Poison came about when we realized that some individuals choose to use recreational substances to enhance or supplement their experiences, and while we do not encourage drug use, we think safety should always come first. Over the years, we saw people using contaminated/tainted supply for their recreational drugs and its negative consequences. That’s why we decided to start Test Your Poison to give individuals the option to test their supply before use and avoid potential harmful effects. This is a harm reduction strategy that we’ve seen work in other parts of the world and we wanted to bring this to Canada and North America in general. We designed our drug testing/checking kits to be fast, easy to use, and reliable. We hope this initiative will help prevent harm and save lives. Our team is based in Ontario, Canada, and currently ship our products within North America, as well as to dozens of other countries.
Von: Im sure the Fentanyl crisis is pretty mainstrem and widely known. For those not in the know- what is fentanyl? When did start showing up in drugs & how has it effected drug users?
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid pain medication that is typically used to treat patients with severe pain, such as cancer patients, or as a part of anesthesia. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and is typically used only in hospital settings or by patients who are already tolerant to other opioids. Fentanyl is also sometimes used illegally, often mixed with other drugs such as cocaine. This can be extremely dangerous, as the potency of fentanyl means that it can easily cause an overdose, especially in people who are not accustomed to taking opioids. Fentanyl was first developed around the 1960s for use as an intravenous anesthetic. It is hard to say when exactly it started showing up in recreational drugs but some believe it was around 1979 as some reports started appearing about this. There was a heavy increase in fatal overdoses that was noticed in the early 2010s and the number of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioid increased dramatically each year since. When Fentanyl is used recreationally, it can be extremely dangerous because of its potency. Even a small amount can cause an overdose, leading to respiratory depression, unconsciousness, and potentially death. This has affected many drug users since drug dealers use fentanyl and other opioid analogs because of its low cost and its high potency that allows dealers to traffic smaller quantities but maintain the drug effects buyers expect. If the end user isn’t aware that the drug they bought has been adulterated, this could easily lead to an overdose.
Von: Are there any misconceptions / not well known facts about Fentanyl/ Fentanyl crisis?
Dan: One misconception about fentanyl is that it is only found in illegal drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, or counterfeit pills. In reality, fentanyl is also used in legal, prescription medications, and can be prescribed by doctors for the treatment of severe pain. It is important for people who are prescribed fentanyl to use it only as directed by their doctor and to be aware of the potential risks associated with the drug.
Another not well known fact is that Fentanyl overdoses can be reversed. Naloxone (for example Narcan nasal spray) is safe and counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose including fentanyl. It is important not to delay administration if you suspect an overdose. It is also important to immediately call for emergency medical assistance as Naloxone is a temporary medical treatment. It’s also important to know that the effects of naloxone are time limited and may require if signs and symptoms of an overdose reappear. If you do not have naloxone it is important to provide rescue breathing or life-saving efforts until emergency services arrive.
Von: Originally I do audio podcasts but due to harm reduction stigma in the medical profession we decided to do an online interview. Can you talk to us more about the stigma? What is it & how are people in the harm reduction field seen?
The stigma around harm reduction often comes from the perception that these strategies enable or condone drug use, rather than addressing the underlying issues that contribute to drug use. Some people may view harm reduction strategies, such as providing clean needles to injection drug users or offering safe injection sites, as promoting drug use rather than preventing it. This stigma can make it difficult to implement harm reduction strategies, as they may be seen as controversial or unacceptable. In addition, the stigma around drug use in general can make it difficult for people who are struggling with addiction to seek help, as they may fear judgment or discrimination. Overcoming this stigma is an important part of promoting harm reduction and providing support for people who are struggling with addiction.
Von: Talk to us about Test your poison, what types of test kits do you sell?
We sell two main types of kits, identification kits and purity kits. Identification kits validates your sample has the presence of the drug you are checking for. For example our Fentanyl test kit can determine the presence of Fentanyl in the sample. It is a yes or no types of answer. We offer this type of kits for a variety of recreational substances, and we also have a general Multi-Party test kit that can help identify an unknown pill that was given to you. Purity kits on the other hand determines approximate level of purity of your sample. We offer this type of kit for Cocaine and MDMA for example. It will give you a visual representation of how pure the sample is, the darker the more pure.
Von: Where can we find Test Your Poison online?
Dan: You can find our products and more information at our website, www.testyourpoison.com. We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok.
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