Hooray, you got the message that there’s crap drugs around! Now what?

If KnowYourStuffNZ is running a clinic near you, come see us! The spectrometer is more accurate, and the only way to detect when two psychoactives are mixed together. Reagent tests alone can’t rule those mixes out.

Until we have funding, we can’t be everywhere though, so the next best thing is to grab a reagent test from Cosmic NZ or The Hemp Store and test it yourself. They sell different types, and a few of the most useful ones for identifying cathinones are shown below, along with some guidance for interpreting your results.

The following are test results from reference samples that were identified on the spectrometer

Reagents can only determine the presence, not quantity or purity, of a particular substance. Dark color reactions will tend to override reactions to other substances also in the sample. A mix of MDMA and eutylone (or another cathinone) will look like an MDMA result.

If your results suggest MDMA, treat it like it’s a mix: take only a small amount to begin with (no more than half your usual amount) and dose slowly over time, waiting to feel the full effects. If anything feels ‘off’, don’t take more. Don’t mix it with other drugs or alcohol.

Eutylone can feel like weak MDMA, but wears off faster, leading people to re-dose and get into trouble later on. It is unpredictable and can cause severe side effects at low dosages for some people, while others can take quite a lot before realizing things aren’t feeling so good, and by then it’s far too late to avoid eutylone’s nasty side effects. Pretty universally, people agree it’s just not fucking worth it.

If the reagent either doesn’t change any color during the first 30 seconds or if it produces some other color-change sequence, then the sample definitely does not contain any MDMA. The colour chart included in each kit may give you more insight, but it may also be highly adulterated with one or more unknown substances.

All of these tests, except the MDMA Purity one, require only a few grains of sample (~5mg). About half the size of a match-head, or a small grain of rice. The MDMA Purity test requires 20mg.

EZ Ecstasy Test (Cosmic)

Analogous to the Marquis reagent from the Hemp Store kits
*We have found this test to be the most user-friendly*

The EZ “Ecstasy test” is a small amount of clear liquid that may be slightly crystallized. This test will go purple-black if the sample contains any MDMA, and yellow if it contains only cathinones.

This is important because if the sample contains for example, 10% MDMA and 90% cathinone, it will give a purple-black hit consistent with MDMA. The yellow colour of all the cathinone present will be completely covered by the purple. These tests can only detect cathinones if they are not mixed with another substance.

NarcoCheck Cathinone Test (Cosmic)

The Narcocheck Cathinone test is a small amount of clear liquid that may be slightly crystallized. This test turns a dark orangey/reddish brown it in the presence of eutylone. Do not take it if it turns red, yellow, orange or brown.

If the test is positive for MDMA it will show a purpley black. This colour is dark enough to completely obscure any cathinone reaction that may also have happened in a mixed sample.

EZ MDMA Purity Test (Cosmic)

We do not endorse this test for determining purity. We recommend only using it for ID purposes as shown.

The EZ MDMA Purity test is two layers of clear liquid. If the sample contains eutylone and no MDMA it will remain clear. If it contains MDMA it will go a yellow-brown on the top layer and the bottom layer will remain clear. This test cannot detect mixes of the two.

If any other colour change is observed or the bottom layer changes colour there are unidentified adulterants in your sample and you should not take it.

EZ Ketamine Test (Cosmic)

The EZ Ketamine test is yellow, and will change to an orange-brown in the presence of cathinones. In the presence of MDMA it will go a purple-black or blue-black. As above, the presence of MDMA will obscure any cathinone reaction that may also be happening.