CANTEST

CANTEST CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service is Australia's first fixed site pill testing service.

CanTEST's monthly results summary is out today.To download a printable (PDF) version, visit the Results page on our webs...
25/07/2025

CanTEST's monthly results summary is out today.

To download a printable (PDF) version, visit the Results page on our website at www.cantest.com.au.

⚠️ Community Notice 24th July 2025A white oval pressed pill with score lines and '2' on one side expected to contain alp...
23/07/2025

⚠️ Community Notice 24th July 2025

A white oval pressed pill with score lines and '2' on one side expected to contain alprazolam was found to contain paracetamol and tramadol instead.
No alprazolam was detected.

Benzos (expected) are drugs typically used to sedate and treat anxiety.
Tramadol (detected) is an opioid with SNRI-like properties, commonly used for short-term relief of severe pain. This is the first time that tramadol has been detected in an expected benzo sample at CanTEST.

Using tramadol with benzos can have serious side effects, like profound sedation and respiratory distress, and your risk of harm is increased further if you use other depressants with tramadol.

Avoid combining tramadol with:
◾ SSRIs (e.g. sertraline)
◾ SNRIs (e.g. venlafaxine)
◾ MAOIs (e.g. phenelzine, moclobemide)
◾ Tricyclic antidepressants (known as TCAs)
◾ Ketamine & analogues
◾ Mirtazapin
◾ Antihistamines (sedating)
◾ Gabapentinoids (e.g. pregabalin, gabapentin)
◾ Bupropion
◾ Antipsychotics (or other drugs that lower the seizure threshold)
◾ MDMA/other serotonergic drugs
◾ Stimulants (e.g. co***ne and amphetamine)

Know the signs of an opioid overdose and always carry naloxone - follow the links in our bio to grab some for free wherever you are in Australia.

⚠️ Community Notice 23rd July 2025A pressed yellow pill with a score mark expected to contain only lorazepam was found t...
23/07/2025

⚠️ Community Notice 23rd July 2025

A pressed yellow pill with a score mark expected to contain only lorazepam was found to contain zolpidem ('Ambien' or 'Stilnox') also.

Zolpidem is a 'z-drug' which is a medication with benzodiazepine-like effects normally used to treat insomnia. This is the first time that zolpidem, or any other z-drug, has been detected in a benzo sample at CanTEST.

It's easy to develop a physical dependency to both benzos and z-drugs. Avoid daily use, and avoid using them for prolonged time periods. If you suspect you might be physically dependent, speak to a health professional you trust before cutting back or stopping use suddenly. Abruptly stopping benzo use can come with significant health risks.

⚠️ Community Notice 23rd July 2025Flubromazepam and bromazolam found in two different expected 'Xanax' and 'diazepam' sa...
23/07/2025

⚠️ Community Notice 23rd July 2025

Flubromazepam and bromazolam found in two different expected 'Xanax' and 'diazepam' samples.

A white 'Xanax' bar expected to contain alprazolam and a brown capsule expected to contain diazepam were both found to contain flubromazepam and bromazolam.

Bromazolam is a new benzo that has strong sedative effects. There's limited information available about it - and it hasn't been used in human trials.

Flubromazepam is a long-lasting benzo which can take up to 4 hours for the onset effects to be felt, and can last up to 3 days. It's the first time that it's been detected at CanTEST in a benzo sample.

Test it before you take it.

❗️ Community Notice 15th July 2025A white powder sample expected to contain co***ne was found to contain co***ne and a s...
16/07/2025

❗️ Community Notice 15th July 2025

A white powder sample expected to contain co***ne was found to contain co***ne and a small percentage of he**in.

The risk of unexpected opioid overdose and an increase of heart strain. In recent months, both NSW Health and VIC Health have released public drug warnings relating to he**in being present in drugs sold as co***ne and methamphetamine.

If you're using co***ne, you should be aware of the signs of opioid overdose. Carry naloxone, start low and go slow and never use alone.

Test your stuff - always assume your drugs may not be what you expect.

Can we test shrooms at CanTEST?No, sorry. We can't test organic material (like mushrooms or w**d) 🍄
10/06/2025

Can we test shrooms at CanTEST?
No, sorry. We can't test organic material (like mushrooms or w**d) 🍄

❗️ Community Notice 3rd June 2025A crushed partial white pill (reported by the client to have been a 'Xanax' bar) was ex...
03/06/2025

❗️ Community Notice 3rd June 2025

A crushed partial white pill (reported by the client to have been a 'Xanax' bar) was expected to contain alprazolam.

However, testing identified a combination of alprazolam, bromazolam, diazepam, and the potent synthetic opioid protonitazene.

The pill was sourced locally (ACT region).

Protonitazene is a highly potent synthetic opioid, estimated to be more than 200 times stronger than morphine. Even tiny amounts can cause overdose. Nitazenes are turning up more often in pills, powders and counterfeit medications across Australia.

Alprazolam, bromazolam and diazepam are all benzodiazepines - sedatives that vary widely in strength, onset and duration. When mixed with opioids, they significantly increase the risk of depressant overdose.

Test your stuff - always assume your drugs might not be what you expect. Some counterfeit pharmaceuticals can look very convincing and even be in 'branded' blister packs.

Carry naloxone and don't use alone - naloxone is free and can reverse a protonitazene overdose (though several doses may be required).

All nitazenes carry a high risk of overdose. It's difficult for health services to provide safer use advice due to limited evidence that they can or should be safely used. Being informed, carrying naloxone, and staying with others can reduce potential harm.

❗️ Community Notice 31st May 2025Protonitazene found in a counterfeit 'oxycodone' pill.A crushed partial blue pill with ...
31/05/2025

❗️ Community Notice 31st May 2025

Protonitazene found in a counterfeit 'oxycodone' pill.

A crushed partial blue pill with an 'M' press on one side and what the client reported as an '80' on the rear - possibly a misread '30' - was expected to contain oxycodone but instead the potent synthetic opioid, protonitazene, was detected instead.

Protonitazene is significantly stronger than fentanyl. All nitazenes carry the risk of fatal overdose.

Naloxone can reverse a protonitazene overdose, but several doses may be required.

Always test it before you take it, and keep naloxone on hand.

CanTEST's monthly summary for Month 33 (21 March - 20 April) is out today.This month we issued multiple community notice...
29/05/2025

CanTEST's monthly summary for Month 33 (21 March - 20 April) is out today.

This month we issued multiple community notices about novel benzos, often appearing as convincing counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

Download the PDF results summary from our website or follow us on insta for the detailed results and all community notices.

CanTEST's monthly results summary for Month 32 is out today.Want to download a PDF version? Visit the results page at ww...
29/04/2025

CanTEST's monthly results summary for Month 32 is out today.

Want to download a PDF version? Visit the results page at www.cantest.com.au.

About Alprazolam...Unregulated and counterfeit pharmaceuticals are becoming more common, and very convincing. This makes...
28/04/2025

About Alprazolam...

Unregulated and counterfeit pharmaceuticals are becoming more common, and very convincing. This makes them hard to distinguish from legit pharmaceuticals - including a range of benzodiazepines.

Alprazolam is a short-acting benzo. Several brands of alprazolam are available for medical use in Australia, but they are all Schedule 8 controlled drugs and aren't frequently prescribed.

As the popularity of unregulated or counterfeit benzos increases, so do the instances of these products being adulterated or replaced with new psychoactive substances - many of which haven't been studied for human consumption.

In many recent test results at CanTEST where alprazolam was expected, we've found a range of other benzos including clonazolam, bromonordiazepam, bromazolam, clobromazolam, clonazepam, diazepam and ethylbromazolam.

Your risk of acute harm, like overdose, is significantly increased if you consume multiple benzos in the one pill, or by consuming multiple pills.

In several samples brought to CanTEST for testing, there have been multiple different benzos detected in a single pill - a reminder to always test it before you take it.

Our opening hours this week look a little different due to the public holiday on Friday.Pop in and see us on Thursday be...
22/04/2025

Our opening hours this week look a little different due to the public holiday on Friday.

Pop in and see us on Thursday between 3pm and 7pm.

Address

Ground Floor, City Community Health Centre, 1 Moore Street
Canberra City, ACT
2601

Opening Hours

Thursday 3pm - 6pm
Friday 6pm - 9pm

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