ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Activists are encouraging people to use test strips on drugs as the number of fentanyl overdose deaths rises in Minnesota.
The strips offer a simple way for people to tell whether there’s potentially dangerous fentanyl in the drugs they’re about to take, Minnesota Public Radio reported .
Fentanyl is considered more powerful than heroin. The synthetic opioid is often mixed with other drugs to increase their strength. It’s difficult to tell how strong fentanyl is in a doctored drug, so there’s a high risk for overdoses.
One end of the strip is dipped into a mixture of the drug and water and needs only about 15 seconds to produce results. One line indicates that the drugs likely have fentanyl or a related substance, while two stripes means it’s likely free of the drug.
Activists distributing the strips in the Twin Cities said it’s a way to reach people who are at risk of overdosing but won’t seek help for fear of criminal charges or social stigma.
Activist Brit Culp said volunteers like her cover the cost of the $1 strips. She said she encourages people to be safe if they’re going to use drugs.
“There’s a lot of consequences related to the war on drugs and prohibition, so it has to be discreet and under the table,” Culp said.
The strips aren’t approved by the Food and Drug Administration for testing drugs. Minnesota agencies aren’t distributing the strips.
The strips can be dangerous if users aren’t informed of their limitations or are drawn into a “false sense of safety,” said Kathy Chinn, with the state Department of Health. However, the strips can be an important tool into opening up the conversation about drug safety, she said.
“The harm reduction model is really what we want to emphasize here,” Chinn said.
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Information from: Minnesota Public Radio News, http://www.mprnews.org
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