How can you be sure that an illegal drug is pure?

Answer 1

Only sophisticated chemical analysis techniques (such as liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, etc.) can be used to determine with near certainty the purity of a drug. There are various home testing kits on the market, such as those used to determine the adulterants present in ecstasy tablets. These contain chemicals which change colors on contact with certain compounds. However, studies have shown that the results obtained from these kits are often subjective and semi-qualitative.

The exact identities, concentrations, and presence of the various impurities are impossible to determine accurately and with certainty with these home testing kits. For example, unscrupulous dealers who are aware of the common reagents can add a chemical which causes a color change similar to the drug being diluted for sale, thereby defeating the test. This example illustrates that the reliability of these testing kits is not high.

If one is worried about ingesting dangerous chemicals, then it is best to stay away from street drugs. Of course, the drugs themselves are typically more dangerous! Unless the drug is analyzed by a trustworthy lab, there is no easy way of knowing for sure what it contains.