West Virginia
A bill decriminalizing drug test strips in opioid-devastated West Virginia heads to the governor
A bill decriminalizing drug test strips in opioid-devastated West Virginia heads to the governor
By: Leah Willingham | AP
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A bill that would decriminalize all dtrug test strips used to detect deadly substances in West Virginia, the state with the nation’s highest overdose rate, is headed to the desk of Republican Gov. Jim Justice.
Justice hasn’t said publicly whether he supports the bill, which has received bipartisan support. The proposal follows a law signed by Justice in 2022 that decriminalized fentanyl drug test strips.
“As time has gone, unfortunately, we’ve got fentanyl, now we’ve got carfentanil, now we’ve got xylazine,” Republican Deputy House Speaker Matthew Rohrbach said on the House floor before the legislation passed overwhelmingly Friday.
Rohrbach, who is also the chamber’s substance abuse committee chair, said the bill is meant to ensure that all drug test strips will be available to people who need them, without lawmakers having to pass new legislation every time a new one is developed.
“It just says, ‘test strips for deadly drugs will be exempted from drug paraphernalia,’” Rohrbach said.
Under West Virginia law, drug paraphernalia could be hypodermic syringes, needles, capsules, and balloons, among other items. A person found in possession of drug paraphernalia could face a misdemeanor charge, a fine of up to $5,000 and six months to a year in jail.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has described drug test strips as a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses.
The proportion of drug overdose deaths involving heroin has declined in recent years. Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues were involved in 76% of all drug overdose deaths occurring in West Virginia in 2021, up from 58% in 2017. Approximately 75,000 of the nearly 110,000 overdose deaths of 2022 could be linked to fentanyl, according to data from the CDC.
Xylazine is a tranquilizer not approved for use in people that is increasingly being found in the U.S. illegal drug supply, and was declared an emerging threat by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy in 2023. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Legalizing test strips could bring those numbers down, advocates say, saving lives by helping more people understand just how deadly their drugs could be.
West Virginia
West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Mega Millions, Daily 3 on Jan. 6, 2026
Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.
Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25.
Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.
Here’s a look at Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from Jan. 6 drawing
09-39-47-58-68, Mega Ball: 24
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 6 drawing
4-6-3
Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 6 drawing
1-7-7-8
Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 25 numbers from Jan. 6 drawing
03-04-10-19-21-24
Check Cash 25 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
- Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Every game is extremely important from here on out for West Virginia, but tonight’s matchup with Cincinnati is one they cannot afford to drop. The Bearcats are one of the weaker teams in the league, and with Kansas on deck, it’s one Ross Hodge and Co. have to get.
Do they get the job done? Here are our picks for tonight’s contest.
Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 64, Cincinnati 59
With or without Brenen Lorient (concussion protocol), I believe West Virginia is the better team, especially at home. Sure, they looked overwhelmed last Friday in Ames against Iowa State, but they won’t be the last team that gets the belt to the backside from the Cyclones.
The one area that has been problematic this season defensively for the Mountaineers has been on the perimeter. We saw Milan Momcilovic knock down eight triples on just eight attempts a handful of days ago. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great shooter and made some highly contested shots, but it’s been a recurring issue for WVU all year.
The good news? Cincinnati isn’t built to beat you shooting from range. Coming into this game, they ranked 263rd nationally in three-point shooting, hitting just 31.6% of their shots. Couple that with the fact that Cincinnati is somehow a worse free-throw shooting team than West Virginia by a full five percentage points, and you get a fairly confident pick from me in the Old Gold and Blue.
Christopher Hall: West Virginia 67, Cincinnati 66
West Virginia has remained perfect inside Hope Coliseum, and the unblemished home record will likely be intact when the Mountaineers host Kansas on Saturday.
West Virginia has struggled and is enduring a five-game losing streak against Power Four opponents after falling to Iowa State to open the Big 12 Conference. Although the Mountaineers did notch a win against Pitt at home, for the lone win against P4 competition.
Cincinnati is in a similar situation, although the Bearcats’ start to the season can be summed up in a 64-56 loss to Eastern Michigan. The absence of senior guard Jizzle James for the first ten games for personal reasons, coupled with Brazilian perimeter shooter Lucas Atauri and returning forward Jalen Haynes absent from the line up have caused early issues.
The Bearcats proved they could compete with one of the best teams in the country after a seven-point loss to Houston on Saturday.
West Virginia will need to tighten up its perimeter defense against James and Day Day Thomas – both are shooting over 40% from three, while WVU senior guard Honor Huff will have to work a little harder to find his spot from deep against one of the best three-point defenses in the league.
The game will be a defensive battle, which favors the Mountaineers at home. WVU may be without senior starting forward Brenen Lorient, but the comfy confines of the Coliseum and the crowd will lift the Mountaineers down the stretch for the 67-66 win.
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How to watch West Virginia vs. Cincinnati: Tip-off time, TV channel, and odds
Two WVU Defensive Transfers Choose the Same Destination in the Portal
Former Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. has committed to West Virginia, ESPN reported.
Hawkins and his brother Maliek Hawkins, a cornerback, are both expected to play for Rich Rodriguez in Morgantown next season.
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Hawkins played in nine games across two seasons for the Sooners. He threw for 950 yards and nine touchdowns. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Maliek Hawkins has four seasons of eligibility left. He had previously been a top recruit himself.
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