Berlin Implements Free and Anonymous Drug Testing Program

After receiving approval, Berlin residents will now have the opportunity to verify the composition and purity of their drugs through a newly launched drug-testing project. The initiative, overseen by The State Institute for Forensic and Social Medicine, has finally come to fruition after extensive discussions spanning several years, as reported by rbb. Test results are expected to be available approximately three days after submitting the substances for analysis.

This isn’t the first time such a drug-testing endeavor has been introduced in Berlin. As early as the mid-’90s, recreational drugs were being examined during the heyday of the Love Parade. Ulrike Scherling, facility manager at one of the city’s three counseling centers participating in the testing, highlighted the strong desire among Berlin partygoers to consume drugs in a healthier and less harmful manner.

The origins of drug-checking initiatives can be traced back to 1970 in Amsterdam, with subsequent adoption in countries like Spain, France, Switzerland, and Austria. In 2008, the Trans-European Drug Information database was launched, aiming to consolidate information on European drug-checking services.