A new study published in the Harm Reduction Journal examining drug-checking practices at music festivals has revealed a complex web of barriers preventing attendees from testing substances for safety.

The research surveyed 227 attendees of Sonic Bloom, a four-day EDM festival in Colorado, about their use of drug-checking tools, including reagent test kits and fentanyl test strips. Approved by Colorado State University’s Institutional Review Board, the findings suggest that while drug-checking tools represent a promising harm reduction strategy, multiple systemic challenges limit their effectiveness in real-world settings like music festivals.

The study highlights a lack of education about testing procedures, which has led to “a critical need to reduce barriers” for the “at-risk population” of festival-goers despite an increase in public health campaigns about substance contamination.

Financial barriers emerged as a primary concern, with nearly 8% of participants citing the cost of reagent test kits as prohibitive, while about 7% found fentanyl test strips too expensive. More significantly, roughly one in four participants struggled to obtain testing materials at all.

“No access to free test strips in my entire county,” said one 28-year-old woman surveyed in the study.

Even when attendees possessed testing materials, the festival environments themselves created obstacles. Weather conditions, particularly wind, made outdoor testing especially difficult for powdered substances. More than 11% of participants cited festival restrictions as barriers, noting that many events prohibit drug-checking services or ban testing supplies entirely.

“Some festivals do not allow testing kit sales or the entrance of them—this should be allowed to curate a better experience,” said one respondent.

The lack of secure, sterile testing locations at festivals further complicated efforts to check substances safely. Several participants expressed frustration with having to conduct testing in exposed, unsanitary conditions.

Legal concerns also deterred some festival-goers from using testing tools. Participants reported confusion about the legality of possessing reagent kits and fentanyl strips, with some believing the materials could be classified as drug paraphernalia.

“In some states it’s a felony to carry test kits,” noted a 31-year-old participant, though the legal status of testing materials varies significantly by jurisdiction.

You can find the full study in the Harm Reduction Journal.