The increased presence of fentanyl in recreational drugs has been one of the causes of Canada’s escalated opioid crisis. Now, thanks to a new technology developed by researchers at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, people will be able to quickly and effectively test their drugs for the presence of fentanyl. The portable mass spectrometer can test substances in less than 20 seconds and provide detailed results of the contents. The technology was developed by a multi-disciplinary team of people with lived experience, harm reduction service providers, chemistry and program evaluation experts, as well as social epidemiologists. Lynne Leonard, lead on the research project and Assistant Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa, says “being able to inform people of the content of the drug, prior to injection, is the right intervention at the right time.”
