Drug screenings in Bremen: Could they potentially lower the rate of drug-related fatalities?
In a bid to combat the rising number of overdose deaths, the Senate in Bremen has initiated an initiative to establish the legal framework for a drug checking project. This project, if implemented, would allow users to have their drugs tested for contaminants, actual active ingredient content, and potentially harmful substances.
Similar drug checking projects have proven successful in other federal states and cities, such as Berlin and Hamburg. For instance, in Berlin, only about 45% of drug samples contained the expected active ingredient, while over 53% had additives, some of which could be potentially dangerous.
The Bremen project would operate using mobile laboratory equipment in mobile testing stations. Results of the drug tests would be available within minutes, ensuring immediate feedback for users. The project would be anonymous, without legal consequences, and free of charge.
However, there are potential issues to consider. Identification of life-threatening substances in the tested drugs is a concern, as dealers are unlikely to be held accountable or willing to exchange the contaminated product. Moreover, the addiction to drugs is a persistent problem, and it is unclear whether individuals would refrain from using the identified contaminated substances.
Despite these concerns, health department experts believe that the trend of heroin being mixed with synthetic opioids, which are 50 to 500 times more potent than heroin, is a contributing factor to the increase in deaths. Therefore, the potential to save lives through drug checking projects is significant.
In Hamburg, a drug checking ordinance has recently been passed, with drug checking to be conducted in both stationary laboratories and drug consumption rooms. It is yet to be determined how the drug checking project will be implemented in Bremen, whether at fixed locations or mobile.
Research consistently shows that people who use drug checking services often modify their drug use based on test results, such as using smaller amounts or slowing down consumption, thereby reducing overdose risk. Widespread drug checking, combined with harm reduction strategies such as the distribution of naloxone, has contributed to recent declines in overdose deaths nationally.
The mobile drug testing stations currently operating in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, primarily at clubs and festivals, serve as a step towards saving more lives. However, the success or failure of the project in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is yet to be determined.
Continued expansion and decriminalization of drug checking services are advocated by experts to save lives and improve public health outcomes. California's recent legal reforms, which provide a progressive model by legalizing broader drug checking efforts, represent promising advances.
[1] Drug Policy Alliance. (2023). Drug Checking: A Proven Public Health Intervention. Retrieved from https://www.drugpolicy.org/resource/drug-checking-proven-public-health-intervention [2] Maryland Department of Health. (2025). RAD Program Overview. Retrieved from https://www.mdhealth.gov/rad-program [3] National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2024). Drug-Free Communities Program. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/program-certification/prevention-grants/drug-free-communities-support-program [4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Overdose Death Rates. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html
- The Bremen project, focusing on health-and-wellness, intends to utilize science by establishing a drug checking project to test individuals' drugs for medical-conditions such as contaminants, actual active ingredient content, and potentially harmful substances, aiming to combat chronic diseases like overdoses.
- In light of the success seen in cities like Berlin and Hamburg, where drug checking projects have shown significant results, it is hoped that the mental-health of users in Bremen may improve through immediate feedback on their substances and potential danger, allowing them to make informed decisions about their consumption.
- Nutrition plays a crucial role in overall wellness, and the anonymity, lack of legal consequences, and free-of-charge aspect of the Bremen project aims to encourage users to make healthier choices, ultimately reducing the risks associated with drug use and contributing to a healthier population.
