HARRISBURG, Pa. — Officials throughout the state gathered on Thursday to praise Governor Wolf's commitment to addressing the overdose crisis.
Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Program Secretary Jen Smith and Acting Health Secretary and Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson gathered to address the overdose crisis by praising Wolf's signing of law legislation that will avoid opioid overdose deaths.
House Bill 1393 amends The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act of 1972 to no longer define fentanyl strips as drug paraphernalia.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, 78% of the 5,343 overdose deaths statewide in 2021 involved fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is undetectable through sight, taste, and smell. Unless a drug is tested with a fentanyl test strip, it is nearly impossible for an individual to know if it has been laced with fentanyl,” said Secretary Smith.
“We continue to encourage all Pennsylvanians to equip themselves with the life-saving drug naloxone, and now with the legalization of fentanyl test strips, individuals have an additional tool to fight the overdose crisis," Smith continued.
Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a low-cost method of helping to prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm. The strips of paper can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc., and drug forms like pills, powers and injectables.
“The legalization of fentanyl test strips will undoubtedly help save the lives of Pennsylvanians by reducing drug overdoses,” said Dr. Johnson. “Many people take the deadly drug without knowing it. Now, they can use test strips to identify the presence of fentanyl, so they are not accidentally exposed to the drug.”
Harm reduction is a proven public health approach that minimizes the negative consequences of drug use, saves lives, improves health outcomes, and strengthens families and communities, according to the Wolf administration.
This approach recognizes that there will always be individuals using and misusing legal and illegal drugs, and addresses the conditions of their use.
Fentanyl is being mixed with other illicit drugs, primarily heroin, to increase its potency, increasing the likelihood of its use leading to a fatal overdose. It is a powerful synthetic opioid, nearly 100 times more potent than morphine.
