The opioid epidemic has been plaguing America for years. According to the CDC, 130 Americans on average die every day from an opioid overdose. In October of 2017, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic as a Public Health Emergency. In October of last year, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill designed to combat the opioid crisis. Now, Americans have another tool that may go a long way towards preventing opioid-related deaths: Fentanyl test strips.
Fentanyl has been confirmed by the CDC as the deadliest drug in America. The number of drug overdose fatalities were highest among users who had used fentanyl more than any other drug. Sometimes, other drugs are laced with fentanyl, and the resulting high could have fatal consequences. These new fentanyl testing strips are designed to detect if certain drugs like heroin or cocaine are laced with them. Should the test prove positive for fentanyl, the hope is that the drug user will decide against using said drugs.
It’s a different take on how to combat the opioid crisis, and not a wholly received one. Some people question the effectiveness of such a tool. People who engage in drug abuse typically don’t care about safety when seeking a high. It seems doubtful that they would carry around strips to see if a horrible drug is laced with another horrible drug.
In addition, these fentanyl test strips have been criticized because many view it as a way for drug users to continue their drug habits “safely”. No drug, laced with fentanyl or otherwise, should be abused, and drug addicts shouldn’t be given the impression that it’s okay to do drugs without fentanyl in them. The goal is to discourage drug abuse of any kind entirely, and many view fentanyl test strips as counter-productive in working toward that goal.
