Promoting Safer Drug Use
Health departments and community-based organizations across the country have been stepping up to respond to the opioid crisis. This project aimed to identify a potential tool they can use to prevent overdose deaths and engage with people who use opioids to help them move toward addiction treatment how do people access the dark web and other services. In this study, young adults using drugs in Rhode Island reported high uptake and acceptability of rapid fentanyl test strips, suggesting that rapid fentanyl test strips are a feasible and acceptable harm reduction tool to detect IMF presence in illicit drugs.
Participants Distributed Tests To People With High Perceived Overdose Risk
Overdose Palm Card
Commercially available rapid test strips are able to detect fentanyl, related analogues, and their metabolites in urine (BTNX, 2018). Recently however, these test strips have been used off-label at syringe exchange programs in the US and at a supervised consumption facility in Canada (Bebinger, 2017; Lysyshyn, Dohoo, Forsting, Kerr, & McNeil, 2017). In these settings, rapid test strips enable people who use drugs to check their drug supply for the presence of fentanyl before consumption by dissolving a small amount of the substance or a sample of drug residue in water (Stewart, 2017). This is a small pilot study which recruited a convenience sample from a region highly impacted by the fentanyl overdose epidemic; therefore, this study may not be generalizable to other settings. Additionally, in some regions, fentanyl contamination is widespread throughout the drug supply, and it has yet to be determined how that may affect uptake of rapid fentanyl test strips. Third, we only assessed lifetime overdose history generally and did not ask participants about their experiences with opioid overdose specifically.
- Given the high level of acceptability and behavioral changes reported by study participants, FTS may be a useful harm reduction intervention to reduce fentanyl overdose risk among this population.
- I’ve had a few people who quit using stimulants after using testing strips because they could not get any drugs that didn’t have fentanyl; their drugs were always testing positive for fentanyl.
- First, this study relied on self-reports and thus is limited by biases including social desirability and recall.
- Fentanyl test strips from other sources may not detect all necessary fentanyl analogs.
Tools
Be sure they don’t aspirate (inhale) the vomit by putting them in the recovery position if they’re unconscious. If the person gets too much naloxone, try to explain to them that their withdrawal symptoms will begin to fade in a half hour or so. Use this state-based locator to find a pharmacy, clinic, health department, or community based organization in your area that provides naloxone how to access the darkweb distribution. We suggest calling ahead to confirm inventory and in the case of pharmacy access, request information about co-pay. In 90 days and amidst pandemic stay-at-home orders and suspension of all nonessential services, FTS pilot partners distributed hundreds of kits, leading directly to referrals for supporting services such as drug treatment, wound care, food, and housing.
However, due to the increased and varying potency of fentanyl and related analogs, naloxone doses previously adequate to reverse an opioid overdose may not be consistently sufficient [20]. Due to the drug’s potency, only a miniscule amount—the equivalent of several grains of salt—can cause an overdose death [23] and can be nearly impossible to identify in illicit drugs with the naked eye. The overdose epidemic in the United States (US) has caused an unprecedented number of fatalities over the last decade (Rudd, Aleshire, Zibbell, & Gladden, 2016). Between 2000 and 2014, the rate of death from drug overdoses has increased by 137%, including a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (Rudd, Aleshire, et al., 2016). Since 2010, deaths due to heroin and synthetic opioids (other than methadone) have increased dramatically in the US, similar to trends observed in Canada, Europe, and Australia (Rudd, Seth, David, & Scholl, 2016; Seth, Scholl, Rudd, & Bacon, 2018).
Where Can I Buy Fentanyl Test Strips?
It protects from charges for low-level drug offenses such as possession of a controlled substance for personal use and being under the influence of a controlled substance. It does NOT protect from charges for high-level drug offenses such as driving under the influence or engaging in sales of controlled substances. Studies have shown that fentanyl test strips can increase awareness and lead to safety precautions to help prevent an overdose. The risk is especially high among persons who are not tolerant to the drugs effects (opioid-naïve) and may not be aware that the drugs they use contain fentanyl. Because fentanyl is so potent, its use in people who are naïve to fentanyl use can quickly lead to overdose and death. Distributors in the US sell counterfeit pills on social media, appealing to a younger, more opioid naïve audience that use social media apps.
Answers questions about substance abuse, its symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery. Addresses concerns of children of parents with substance use/abuse problems. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. It is a Schedule II controlled substance, which means it has a high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription.
Unfortunately, fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, and counterfeit pills, without the user’s knowledge. This can lead how to buy stolen credit cards on the dark web to accidental overdoses and death. That’s why it’s important to test any drugs you or someone you know may use for the presence of fentanyl.
Where to Buy Fentanyl Test Strips
Fentanyl test strips are a quick and easy way to detect the presence of fentanyl in drugs. They are available at many harm reduction organizations, syringe exchange programs, and drug user health centers. You can also purchase them online from reputable sources.
Online Vendors
- Dancesafe: Dancesafe is a non-profit organization that provides drug education and harm reduction services. They sell fentanyl test strips online for $1 each.
- Bunk Police: Bunk Police is a harm reduction organization that sells fentanyl test darknet market sites strips and other drug testing kits. They offer a variety of options, including bulk discounts.
- Test Kit Plus: Test Kit Plus is a European-based company that sells fentanyl test strips and other drug testing kits. They offer fast shipping and discreet packaging.
Local Vendors
In addition to online vendors, you may be able to find fentanyl test strips at local vendors, such as:
- Harm reduction organizations
- Syringe exchange programs
- Drug user health centers