Fentanyl Testing
About Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine. It is used as a prescription pain medication, often for severe pain in terminal cancer patients.
Fentanyl Misuse
Fentanyl is also used by people who abuse opioids because it is very strong, and one does not need large amounts of the drug to get high.
Unfortunately, while overdose deaths from other opioids are decreasing, fentanyl overdoses have more than quadrupled in the past several years. This is because fentanyl is cheap to manufacture, and often is cut into other drugs without the buyer knowing it is there.
Fentanyl Testing Strips
There are test strips that can tell if fentanyl is in unregulated drugs. They can also be used to test injectable drugs (such as heroin), powders, and pills. The strips are easy to use for those with substance use disorder (SUD), and are extremely sensitive – they can detect even minimal amounts of fentanyl.
Fentanyl is so strong it can be a deadly drug for someone who is unaware it is in the drugs they are taking. Being able to test for Fentanyl can allow for someone to make life-saving choices.
For more information about how fentanyl testing strips can help to reduce harm, view our Fact Sheet About Fentanyl (PDF).
