It was a very busy drug checking week at ANKORS in Nelson. ANKORS was in Grand Forks for testing on Tuesday – the rest of the week was spent in Nelson. Please find details in attached report.
Tag: ANKORS
ANKORS Nelson – Drug Checking Report – Week of February 17, 2022
It was a busy week for drug checking at ANKORS in Nelson. They were in Grand Forks on Tuesday and in Trail on Wednesday for testing – the rest of the week was spent in Nelson. Please find details in attached report.
When Ketamine is not Ketamine.
Testing ketamine highly recommended for West Kootenay Communities!
A white crystalline powder with the appearance of ketamine is circulating in the West Kootenays. Sold as ketamine or K, it actually tests as an intermediate chemical for the synthesis of opioids with nothing else detected. There is no history of human use for this substance and thus, we are not able to tell what dangers may be associated with it. According to people who have tried it, it has no noticeable effect.
There has also been occurrence of this unusual chemical appearing mixed together with ketamine. This means that even if the ketamine you have seems to have some effect, there is still a risk of taking a substance with no record of it having been tried by humans.
To see pictures of the ketamine tested, check out the results page by clicking here.
We highly recommend testing your Ketamine, especially if it has been acquired recently!
ANKORS in Nelson is open for testing:
Monday and Thursday, as well as sometimes Wednesday depending on mobile testing hours
9:30-4:30, with a break for lunch from 12-1
Samples can be dropped off anytime.
ANKORS also has a mobile testing operation! Learn more about it here: Drug checking comes to Grand Forks, Castlegar, and Trail!
ANKORS Nelson – Drug Checking Report – Week of February 3, 2022
It was a busy week for drug checking at ANKORS in Nelson. They were in Grand Forks on Tuesday and in Trail on Wednesday for testing – the rest of the week was spent in Nelson. Overall, ANKORS tested 25 samples: nine samples in Grand Forks, six in Trail, and ten in Nelson. The substances were as follows: 12 down samples, seven MDMA samples, five methamphetamine samples, and one ketamine sample.
ANKORS Nelson – Drug Checking Report – Week of October 4, 2021
This week at ANKORS we tested a large variety of down samples of varying colours. The fentanyl content of these samples was consistent with recent trends, at about 10%. What is more concerning, however, is that all of the down samples tested positive for benzodiazepines using benzodiazepine test strips.
When used with fentanyl or other opioids, benzodiazepines have synergistic effects. Down samples with benzodiazepines or their analogues can increase the chance of overdose, and often cause atypical overdose responses. Benzodiazepines do not respond to naloxone; therefore it is important to give breaths when responding to an atypical overdose. Please continue to encourage people who are using drugs to have their drugs checked, to start slow, and to refrain from using alone.
While drug checking can help reduce the risk of using drugs by allowing users to make better informed decisions, please recognize that the use of FTIR spectrometry and test strips has limitations. Notably, the FTIR cannot detect substances that are present in small amounts or substances that are absent from the reference database. No drug use is completely safe, and checking your drugs does not eliminate all risk.
ANKORS Nelson – Drug Checking Report – Week of Sept 19, 2021
On Wednesday this week, ANKORS set up a pop up OPS and testing site next to the United Church in Trail. It was successful for a first event, not only to help folks get their stuff tested and consume drugs in a safer environment, but also to connect together people involved with the opioid crisis in the region! On top of that, it gave an opportunity for the local population to see what these services can bring to the community.
In Trail, we tested typical samples of side (Methamphetamine) and Down (Fentanyl or analog).
Notable finds include:
A brown powder looking like compact cacao powder, tested as having a strong concentration of fentanyl as well as presence of benzodiazepine. Please tread cautiously if you see this one around, as it looks like a mixture that could easily create a situation of overdose that is hard to deal with.
A sample that was recurring was a beige chunky substance that tested low in fentanyl but still gave strong effects, as anecdotally reported by those who were getting it tested. It could contain a potent analogue of Fentanyl. It tested negative for benzos.
As for ANKORS in Nelson, we tested samples of MDMA that were actually MDA. This is a great reason to come in and use the drug checking service!
We are open for testing next Wednesday but are closed for National Reconciliation day on the Thursday. As always, safe and discrete 24/7 drop off is available through our mailing slot in an envelope with some contact info.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions