Amid fentanyl epidemic, more states legalize drug test strips

Amid the nation’s fentanyl epidemic, extra states are legalizing drug take a look at strips, however not with out controversy. 

In additional than half the nation, fentanyl take a look at strips are thought of unlawful drug paraphernalia. Check strip possession can lead a tremendous or jail time in lots of states, although enforcement varies.

Ohio lawmakers are actually contemplating laws to decriminalize fentanyl take a look at strips. 

On Could 19, state Rep. Kristin Boggs testified earlier than the Home Felony Justice Committee in help of Home Invoice 456, which she first launched in October 2021. 

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If the invoice turns into regulation, Ohio would be a part of a rising listing of states decriminalizing using fentanyl testing strips because the drug continues to wreak havoc.

Governors in New Mexico and Wisconsin this yr signed payments permitting take a look at strips in these states, and legislatures in Tennessee and Alabama lately handed related laws.

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Many public well being and dependancy specialists promote the fast testing gadgets as a “hurt discount” tactic to assist forestall overdose deaths from illicit medicine that customers could not know are laced with fentanyl.

The testing strips are cheap, costing about $1. A drug consumer can take a small amount of a substance, add water and dip a strip briefly into the answer. If one purple stripe seems on the strip, fentanyl is current; two stripes imply none of that drug is discovered.

A draw back is that the take a look at strips do not measure the quantity of fentanyl within the drug.

In Cincinnati, this merchandising machine dispenses Narcan and fentanyl take a look at strips.
(Fox Information )

Nonetheless, the strips are efficient in detecting “very small quantities of fentanyl,” in accordance with Brown College epidemiologist Brandon Marshall.

Whereas there’s proof fentanyl take a look at strips might result in safer drug behaviors, there are nonetheless boundaries to entry. Particularly, there may be confusion about the place the checks are authorized.

It is clearly authorized to own fentanyl take a look at strips in 22 states, in accordance with a current authorized assessment revealed in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. In 14 states the place drug-checking gear will not be clearly authorized, it’s lawful when the gear is obtained from a syringe companies program, the assessment discovered.

In April 2021, the Biden administration lifted restrictions on use of federal grant funds for purchasing fentanyl take a look at strips.