Drugreporter visits CheckIt! – Vienna’s pioneering drug checking service

While drug policy debates in many countries still revolve around prohibition and punishment, Austria has been running one of Europe’s most innovative harm reduction services for over two decades. CheckIt allows people to have substances tested in a professional laboratory setting, while offering confidential counseling on risks and safer use. This approach not only prevents overdoses and poisoning but also builds trust between health services and people who use drugs. Our short film takes you inside the daily work of CheckIt: how the testing process works, who turns to the service, and what trends their experts observe on the Austrian drug market. The Vienna model demonstrates why drug checking is not a luxury but an evidence-based public health tool that could save lives if implemented more widely across Europe and beyond.