Concerned individuals have asked us to provide a representative image of samples that have tested positive.
✅ Remember samples can vary in physical appearance
✅ Testing strips are available online
✅ If unwell please seek medical attention
Working w/ local partners a number of samples have been tested by the team
We confirm that though ketamine was detected, the levels of medetomidine present varied significantly across the samples
✅ Testing strips are available online
✅ If unwell please seek medical attention
⚠️WARNING⚠️ 19 Nov 2025
Multiple samples of ketamine circulating in #Manchester have been confirmed, by our lab, to be contaminated with medetomidine
The GM Drugs Early Warning System has subsequently issued the following warning
If unwell please seek medical attention
Working with local partners/stakeholders a number of samples of #MDMA crystal/powder have been tested by the team
We can confirm that no adulterants or other drugs were detected, however, the purity varied significantly across the samples
If unwell please seek medical attention
⚠️WARNING⚠️ 23 Oct 2025
With two separate, tragic deaths in #Manchester last week, both involving young women and both believed to have taken #MDMA powder/crystals GMCA have issued this alert via the GM Drugs Early Warning System.
If unwell please seek medical attention.
⛔️CAUTION!⛔️ 23 Aug 2025
Back-of-house substance testing by @MANDRAKE_LAB has found multiple samples of synthetic #cathinone 4-chloromethcathinone (4-CMC) circulating at Manchester Pride Festival.
If unwell please seek medical attention.
💥BREAKING NEWS💥
Many congratulations to Emily Dawber on conferment of her #Masters today. Well done!
Dr RyanMewis, Dr Jim Pritchett & I are extremely proud of your hard work both in your research and for your dedication to @mandrakelab.bsky.social’s harm reduction activities.
💥Update💥 The “αη” logo on the blue pills (LHS) resembles the “Albert Heijn” logo.
⛔️CAUTION!⛔️ 03 May 2025
Multiple examples of high content #Ecstasy tablets analytically confirmed by @MANDRAKE_LAB, to contain #MDMA (254 - 264 mg/tablet) = to 2½ - 3x the common oral dose circulating in #Manchester.
If unwell please seek medical attention.
💥TESTING DATA💥 Mar 2025
A quick snapshot of recent bsky.app/profile/mand... testing data, of frequently encountered “Ecstasy” pill/tablet types, from across Greater Manchester’s NTE venues.
MDMA (as salt) content was determined by GCMS using primary reference std & expressed in mg/tab.
⚠️WARNING!⚠️ 29 Mar 25
Multiple samples of beige powder, potentially mis-sold as MDMA, confirmed by @MANDRAKE_LAB, to contain synthetic cathinone, 4F-α-PVP, in #Manchester
Not much known about this substance but has been implicated fatalities.
If unwell seek medical attention.
⛔️CAUTION!⛔️ 27 Mar 2025
Multiple, Blue “Moncler” embossed #Ecstasy tablets analytically confirmed by @MANDRAKE_LAB, to contain #MDMA (average: 277 mg/tablet) = to 3x the common oral dose circulating in #Manchester.
If unwell please seek medical attention.
💥DRUG FOCUS REPORT💥
The GMTRENDS focus report on “ketamine” trends, covering 2023/24, is available (for free) online.
This collaborative work, led by by @MMUOutofit, includes detailed chemical analysis by our team of scientists.
Link (free): gmtrends.mmu.ac.uk/wp-content/u...
💥NEW RESEARCH PAPER💥
Our collaborative work led by Ryan Mewis w/ Matthew Hulme, Jack Marron, Stuart Langley & Sophie Benjamin on the synthesis & crystal structures of 5 fluorinated diphenidine derivatives is available (free) online
Link: journals.iucr.org/e/issues/202...
💥NEW RESEARCH PAPER💥
Our collaborative work w/ Shimadzu, Phenomenex and Greater #Manchester Police on the #enantiomeric separation of #diphenidine-derived #NPS by polar organic chiral #HPLC
is available online (pre-proof) in J. Pharm. Biomed. Analysis 👇
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
💥BREAKING!💥 15 Jan 2025
Our Director @sutcliffeob.bsky.social speaks on BBC Radio 4 “Cannabis Kids: The parents breaking the law to help their children with epilepsy” about how we have been working w/ stakeholders & industry to understand the UK cannabis market.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
⚠️WARNING!⚠️ 19 Dec 2024
Following testing by our scientists, a #harmreduction #warning, has been issued by #Greater #Manchester Drugs Early Warning System
Important #medical & #welfare guidance for #nitazene #intoxication
Stay safe and if unwell please seek medical attention
💥BREAKING!💥 7 Dec 2024
@robralphs.bsky.social and @sutcliffeob.bsky.social #Spice (#SCRAs, synthetic cannabinoids) “Primer”, first published in The Conversation in 2016, is the THIRD most read article published by Man Met Uni and just received >900,000 reads! theconversation.com/what-is-spic...
💥REQUEST💥 28 Nov 24
Please complete the 2024/25 Students, Alcohol and Drug Survey and retweet it to your social networks
This survey is via @sosukcharity & available here:
online1.snapsurveys.com/interview/b1...
This is YOUR opportunity to shape harm reduction and awareness on UK campus’
We’ve been DM’d (on another platform) and asked if this activity is a “one off”
We are pleased to confirm that this is NOT a “one off” and we’ll be regularly testing samples from local A&Es and hospitals going forward
Also we will pass any pertinent harm reduction info back to the wider community
💥BREAKING!💥 22 Nov 2024
We’re extremely proud to announce that we have received additional PUBLIC FUNDING for our harm reduction work!
The team are honoured to EXPAND our nationally-recognised harm reduction partnerships, across the UK, and now safeguard the residents in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Do YOU know the DANGERS of synthetic cannabinoids or "Spice"???
Would you like to know more?
Read our short (1 min read) PRIMER "What is Spice" (theconversation.com/what-is-spic...) and get the lowdown and keep yourself and others safe!
Through our research, we strive to tackle inequalities & enhance people's lives.
Read Ralphs & Sutcliffe @sutcliffeob.bsky.social #Spice “Primer” in The Conversation here: theconversation.com/what-is-spic...
Also read our focus report on #THC vapes here: gmtrends.mmu.ac.uk/wp-content/u...
