Key takeaways:
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid medication that is sometimes abused for recreational purposes.
Recreational drugs like heroin can sometimes contain fentanyl without the user’s knowledge. Fentanyl test strips allow users to test their drugs for the presence of fentanyl.
Test strips give drug users the opportunity to take measures to take drugs more safely and reduce their risk of overdose.
Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid that is used to treat severe pain. Like other opioids, it is also sometimes used for recreational purposes and carries a high risk for overdose.
The number of fentanyl-related deaths is on the rise. In 2019, there were over 36,000 deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which was a 16% increase from 2018. This was 12 times higher than the number of deaths in 2013. Fentanyl test strips were developed to help address the large number of opioid overdose deaths.
Read on to learn more about what fentanyl test strips are, how they work, and where you can find them near you.
Why fentanyl test strips now?
Harm reduction is an approach to public health that works to reduce the risks associated with drug use. Many harm-reduction advocates have focused efforts on the opioid overdose crisis. Since 1999, over 840,000 Americans have died by overdose. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are responsible for the majority of overdose deaths (nearly 73%).
Fentanyl was designed to have a quick onset of action for quick pain relief. This makes fentanyl more dangerous and the people who use it more prone to unintentional overdose and death.
Experts believe that the increase in opioid-related deaths is related to fentanyl being laced with other drugs, like heroin and cocaine. Often users are unaware that fentanyl is in their drugs, since it cannot be detected by sight or smell. Fentanyl test strips were created so that recreational drug users could know if what they are taking contains fentanyl, in order to reduce unintentional overdose. The goal of fentanyl test strips is to reduce the number of fentanyl-related deaths.
What are fentanyl test strips?
Fentanyl test strips can detect whether or not fentanyl is present in a sample of drugs. They were developed in 2011 by BTNX, a biotech company. Fentanyl test strips are a harm-reduction strategy to help address the opioid overdose crisis.
Fentanyl test strips allow drug users to more safely consume substances that may be laced with fentanyl, like heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Users can take a small sample of their drugs and test them for the presence of fentanyl. If fentanyl is present, the person may choose not to take the drugs, since it could increase their risk of an overdose, or they may opt to take extra measures to prevent an overdose. This could include lowering their dose, asking a friend to monitor them, or keeping naloxone on hand, which is a medication that reverses opioid effects.
How do fentanyl test strips work?
Fentanyl test strips are easy to use. To use them, follow the steps listed below:
Dissolve a small sample of a drug — like heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, or methamphetamine — in water. The testing strips are highly sensitive, so you only need a small amount or a bit of powder residue to get an accurate reading (about one-quarter inch if you are using a syringe). You can even use residue powder from the baggie that contained the drugs.
Dip the test strip in the water mixture for approximately 15 seconds.
Place the strip on a flat surface for 5 minutes.
If one line appears, then fentanyl is present in the sample. If two lines appear, then the sample does not contain fentanyl.
If the test does not show one or two lines, then it is invalid and you should use a different test.
How effective are the strips for testing fentanyl?
Fentanyl test strips are considered a safe, easy, and affordable way to test for the presence of fentanyl. Like any testing method, there can be false positives and negatives:
False positives are when the test reads positive even though there is no fentanyl.
False negatives, in this case, are more dangerous. They are when the test results are negative, even though fentanyl is present.
A study found a false positive rate of about 10% and a false negative rate of about 4%. The researchers of the study concluded that the strips were helpful.
It is first important to determine whether the tests are accurate. But it’s also important to look at whether people are using the tests, or changing their behavior based on the results. One pilot study found that not only were the test strips effective in detecting fentanyl but that they also deterred people from using drugs laced with fentanyl.
Another study found that a majority of young adults found the test strips easy to use, and those who received positive test results often took measures to reduce their overdose risk. They either discarded the fentanyl-laced drugs, or used them with other people and naloxone nearby.
Overall, recreational drug users seem to be open to using fentanyl test strips when they’re available, and they’ll take measures to reduce their risk for an overdose.
Where can I buy fentanyl test strips?
You can purchase fentanyl test strips from online retailers. They are inexpensive and average around $1 a strip.
In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that organizations could use federal funding to buy and distribute fentanyl test strips. Some addiction and overdose prevention organizations and needle exchange programs may provide free or low-cost fentanyl test strips.
You can locate and contact your local needle exchange program to see if they are able to offer fentanyl test strips.
What are some symptoms of a fentanyl overdose?
Signs of a fentanyl overdose include:
Loss of consciousness
Pale, clammy skin
Blue or purple lips and fingernails
Slow or no breathing
Slow heart rate
Vomiting
Gurgling sounds coming from the throat or mouth
What to do when you suspect a fentanyl overdose
A fentanyl overdose is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. If you witness or suspect an overdose, you should call 911 immediately.
Naloxone is a medication that is used to reverse an opioid overdose. It is available as an injection or nasal spray. When you call 911, emergency personnel can administer naloxone to treat the overdose. You can also purchase naloxone at a pharmacy or attend an overdose prevention class to learn how to administer it and receive a free kit. Since fentanyl is such a powerful drug, you may have to administer naloxone several times to treat an overdose.
For more information about how to use and purchase naloxone, see Get Naloxone Now.
Drug overdose services, resources and support
For more information about how to prevent an overdose, see the following resources:
Get Naloxone Now offers an online training program on how to respond to an overdose and guidance on how to acquire your own naloxone kit.
The National Harm Reduction Coalition provides information about harm reduction practices, including fentanyl test strips, naloxone, and other ways to help prevent overdose.
North America Syringe Exchange Network provides a listing of local needle exchange programs.
SAMHSA’s Opioid Overdose Prevention TOOLKIT includes information for prescribers, first responders, patients, and family members on how to recognize and address an opioid overdose.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline offers assistance finding treatment for mental health and substance use disorders.
The bottom line
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that is more dangerous than other opioids. Overdoses usually result from people unintentionally taking drugs mixed with fentanyl. Fentanyl test strips were developed to help prevent overdose. They allow recreational drug users to test their drugs for the presence of fentanyl. If fentanyl is detected, they may choose not to take the drugs or to take additional measures to reduce their overdose risk.
If you or someone you know struggles with substance use, help is available. Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to learn about resources in your area.
Why trust our experts?
References
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Federal grantees may now use funds to purchase fentanyl test strips.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Death rate maps & graphs.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Fentanyl.
Indian Health Service. (n.d.). Harm reduction.
Get Naloxone Now. (n.d.). Save a life.
Goldman, J. E., et al. (2019). Perspectives on rapid fentanyl test strips as a harm reduction practice among young adults who use drugs: A qualitative study. Harm Reduction Journal.
Green, T. C., et al. (2020). An assessment of the limits of detection, sensitivity and specificity of three devices for public health-based drug checking of fentanyl in street-acquired samples. International Journal of Drug Policy.
Krieger, M. S., et al. (2018). Use of rapid fentanyl test strips among young adults who use drugs. International Journal of Drug Policy.
MedlinePlus. (2019). Opioid overdose.
National Harm Reduction Coalition. (n.d.). Home.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Fentanyl DrugFacts.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2022). Naloxone DrugFacts.
North American Syringe Exchange Network. (n.d.). Home.
North American Syringe Exchange Network. (n.d.). SSP locations.
Peiper, N. C., et al. (2019). Fentanyl test strips as an opioid overdose prevention strategy: Findings from a syringe services program in the southeastern United States. International Journal of Drug Policy.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2018). SAMHSA opioid overdose prevention toolkit.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). SAMHSA’s National Helpline.
