Do I get my XTC back?

A common question when testing drugs is: “Do I get my XTC pill back after the test?”

The answer is usually yes, unless the pill needs to be sent to the lab for further analysis. It’s actually quite logical: as long as the pill stays at the test service, it can be returned. However, once it goes to the lab, returning it is no longer possible. This also has to do with maintaining the anonymity of the process. If we were to send pills back from the lab, it could compromise the anonymity of the test service visitor.

What happens to the pill at the lab?

When your pill is sent to the lab, it gets analyzed and won’t be returned. Recently, some of our UNITY team members, along with the Test Service from DIMS (Drugs Information and Monitoring System), visited the lab to better understand this process.

What did they learn? The pill does not remain intact. It is completely dissolved in a liquid for chemical analysis. This is done using a technique called GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). First, the various components of the pill are separated using gas chromatography (GC), which breaks down the mixture of substances into individual parts. Then, these components are detected and identified using mass spectrometry (MS).

After this process, we know exactly what psychoactive and toxic substances are present in the pill, and often the exact amount of MDMA (the active ingredient in XTC).

Pills and powders that are not analyzed due to high lab demand are dissolved in acid and can no longer be used.

Want to know more about drug testing in the Netherlands? Visit: Unity.nl – Drug Testing.

solved xtc in line waiting for testing