In an effort to sluggish the proliferation of artificial opioid-related deaths, California will start providing free fentanyl-testing strips to eligible organizations throughout the state that ask for them, the state Division of Well being Care Providers introduced Thursday.
The checks shall be made obtainable by means of the state’s Naloxone Distribution Undertaking, a community of organizations that ships naloxone (generally bought underneath the model title Narcan) — a drugs that quickly reverses an opioid overdose — without spending a dime to first responders, colleges, hurt discount organizations, tribal entities and public well being companies. The undertaking is funded by means of state basic funds and authorized settlements.
“Fentanyl take a look at strips generally is a helpful addition to time-tested hurt discount methods, comparable to by no means utilizing alone and all the time carrying naloxone,” Pike Lengthy, a hurt discount specialist with the state Division of Public Well being Providers, mentioned in an announcement.
There are two sorts of fentanyl, pharmaceutical and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. The latter is distributed by means of unlawful drug markets for its heroin-like impact and sometimes bought as counterfeit capsules. It may also be as much as 50 instances stronger than heroin and 100 instances stronger than morphine.
The state’s most up-to-date public well being knowledge present 6,473 deaths had been associated to fentanyl overdoses in 2022 and greater than 21,000 emergency division visits had been associated to any kind of opioid-related overdose.
With Thursday’s announcement, the Naloxone Distribution Undertaking’s checklist of eligibile entities can now apply for a provide of fentanyl testing kits on-line that have a measuring scoop, the fentanyl take a look at strip, a water pouch and take a look at directions.
The all-in-one fentanyl take a look at strip kits additionally cut back errors in testing medication for fentanyl by together with clear markings on the water pouch to forestall underneath and over dilution, and a end result information for take a look at comparability.
The place to get take a look at strips
Los Angeles LGBTQ Heart
The middle offers free fentanyl take a look at strips to those that request them. It additionally offers free or low-cost, complete, judgment-free habit restoration providers. For extra data, e-mail restoration@lalgbtcenter.org or name (323) 993-7448.
APLA Well being
APLA Well being has a number of places all through Los Angeles County that supply take a look at strips, together with Koreatown, two places in Baldwin Hills, Mid-Wilshire, downtown L.A. and Lengthy Seaside. It additionally provides therapy that may assist cut back or eradicate behaviors that maintain habit and substance use. For extra data name (323) 215-1725 or go to aplahealth.org/fentanyl.
TACO
The nonprofit Crew Consciousness Combating Overdose offers pickup and supply choices for 1-cent take a look at strips on college campuses, together with UC Berkeley, USC, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara. TACO companions with supply apps Duffl and Deal with. Or you possibly can choose up a take a look at at a location listed on TACO’s web site.
Finish Overdose
The group offers coaching and instruments to deal with individuals who overdose and forestall demise by means of training, medical intervention and public consciousness. It sells packages of 5 fentanyl testing strips on-line for $7.99. Every bundle comes with a QR sticker that when scanned results in instructions on the way to use the take a look at strips.
County well being clinics
The Los Angeles County Division of Public Well being operates 14 well being facilities that present free and low-cost providers to these with no insurance coverage or who shouldn’t have a daily healthcare supplier. The division has a checklist of its well being clinics and encourages individuals to go to their native clinic without spending a dime fentanyl take a look at strips.
Engagement and Overdose Preventation Hubs
The hubs are Los Angeles County-contracted syringe service suppliers that supply hurt discount providers, peer-led training and peer-led assist providers. There may be an internet schedule of places that distribute fentanyl take a look at strips.
How do you employ fentanyl take a look at strips?
You probably have a drug that wasn’t legitimately prescribed and provided to you by medical professionals, use a take a look at strip previous to ingestion to verify whether or not it incorporates fentanyl.
In line with TACO, several types of medication require totally different preparations for higher take a look at accuracy:
- Powders: Shake and totally combine within the bag that the drug got here in. Any chunks have to be damaged up.
- Crystals: Crush right into a high quality powder and blend totally.
- Drugs: Crush into high quality powder and blend totally.
Then, mix a couple of spoonful of water and a small quantity of the drug (TACO suggests utilizing a pattern concerning the measurement of a strawberry seed). Put the take a look at strip into the combination, holding it by the stable blue finish and inserting it no farther than the thick blue “MAX” line. The variety of seconds it takes to finish the take a look at will fluctuate, so comply with the instructions on the equipment or the directions given to you by the group offering the strip.
A single coloured line is a optimistic end result, that means fentanyl is current and also you shouldn’t eat the drug. A double coloured line is a damaging end result.
