A Victoria pharmacy and Uvic chemists are hoping to arm drug users with information that could save their lives.
Pharmacists at STS pharmacy and Dennis Hore and his team at the University of Victoria are working to create a handheld measuring device.
"What can we offer that will be useful to society, that will be compact, low cost and easy to use? " said Hore.
The team has used a federal grant, to create a handheld device which uses lasers to identify different molecules in a substance including measuring fentanyl.
A working prototype could be ready in a month. They're hoping to pair the technology with smart phones.