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Fentanyl test strips can help save lives — Here’s where to find them around Capitol Hill

Testing drugs for possible contamination is becoming more common, as fentanyl, a strong synthetic opioid, is to blame for many preventable deaths across the country. To get the strips on Capitol Hill, many are turning to community sources made up of local aid groups and neighborhood businesses.

According to King County Public Health, in 2021 there were 395 fentanyl related deaths — in 2015 there were 3.

Capitol Hill has seen its share of drug related deaths as counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and powdered drugs like cocaine and methamphetamines are having fentanyl mixed in without buyers knowing. There has also been a rise in fentanyl being ingested on the streets and on public transportation. Just a small amount of fentanyl can cause death. As 2022 began, health officials warned of a “cluster” of fentanyl deaths on Capitol Hill. More waves and ripples have continued.

If used correctly, fentanyl test strips can help detect fentanyl and fentanyl analogs before they’re consumed.

Multiple city and county organizations provide naloxone and training for administering the “antidote” to those suffering opioid overdoses from heroin or prescription painkillers. Naloxone can also help prevent death from fentanyl poisoning although more doses may be necessary because fentanyl is so potent.

In a conversation with a King County Public Health representative, CHS was told testing for the deadly substance is supported by a grassroots network of community efforts:

In our experience, a primary way that fentanyl detection strips are distributed in the community is through community-based organizations that work in the harm-reduction field. Fentanyl test strips are officially designed to detect fentanyl in urine, not in drugs. As a result, they often have a degree of false positives when testing drugs, particularly when used to test stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine.

While false positives occur, fentanyl test trips can be a useful harm reduction tool for people who use drugs. It is important to know that the test strips may not detect all forms of fentanyl and cannot tell you how much fentanyl is present if detected.

While naloxone is readily available at Walgreens, the testing kits for fentanyl are more difficult to find. Some organizations such as DanceSafe.org provide testing kits you can order, but it’s not the kind of thing you can pick up at local pharmacies as you head out for the night.

Many of Seattle’s mutual aid groups are including fentanyl tests in harm reduction kits and some low income housing provides naloxone and fentanyl test strips to their residents.

A new item for your Capitol Hill first aid kit — overdose antidote

In 2021, Ian Eisenberg, owner of Uncle Ike’s, started providing free test kits around his 15th Ave and 23rd Ave locations.

“Far too many of us have known someone who has passed due to a drug-related accident,” Eisenberg says. “Anything we can do to promote harm reduction and save lives is worthwhile. Test strips are a simple yet effective way for people to test the drugs they should choose to take and prevent the worst from happening.”

Capitol Hill’s Cha Cha Lounge on E Pike is another location where fentanyl test strips can be found, but they’re still working on the best way to hand them out. The vending machine was an option, but management found they disappeared too quickly, so for now they’re available by asking a bartender.

Other options for obtaining fentanyl test strips include The People’s Harm Reduction Alliance with locations around Washington and Oregon, Peoplesharmreductionalliance.org and the Hepatitis Education Project at hepeducation.org.

 

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14 Comments
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KinesthesiaAmnesia
KinesthesiaAmnesia
1 year ago

Thanks for the shoutout to Dancesafe!

jonc
jonc
1 year ago

What’s behind this pervasive fentanyl-lacing anyway? It seems like it could only be bad for business. Is it the addictiveness?

NeedMoreInput
NeedMoreInput
1 year ago
Reply to  jonc

Yup, and it’s much much easier/cheaper to get since it’s made in actual pharmaceutical grade factories in china, then imported into Mexico and diluted (or not) before it comes up here.

HTS3
HTS3
1 year ago
Reply to  jonc

Fentanyl increases the potency of other drugs—making it more addictive, is easy to make, and is cheaper than heroin. Of course, combine this with the fact that it’s made with no concerns for volume or consistency, and it creates the perfect storm for killing even a one-time user. It’s virtually Russian Roulette. Five may be survivable, but the six one will kill you. And of course you have no idea which one will. These test strips are a good idea, but unfortunately many people who use the drugs will not “waste” any of their purchase to test.

Nandor
Nandor
1 year ago
Reply to  HTS3

I’ve read that when seized lots of illegal fentanyl containing pills are tested up to 49% of them contain what is a likely lethal dose… The dose is so tiny it’s pretty much impossible for someone mixing and pressing them outside of a highly controlled lab setting to do it with any sort of consistency… and even though we just call it fentanyl, these days what they are getting is more likely to be some other derivative that is actually way stronger, like carfentanil, which was developed to sedate elephants and rhinos (seriously…) and is 100X stronger, so the lethal dose is miniscule. 2 milligrams – about a pinheads amount, can kill you.

It makes it easy to ship in the mail.. you get a tiny package that can be readily disguised as something else, but try to distribute that evenly throughout what you are cutting it with… good luck.

HTS3
HTS3
1 year ago
Reply to  jonc

And in terms of selling a drug laced with fentanyl that will kill your customers and hurt repeat business—drug dealers are not Nordstrom. User deaths are collateral damage. Their profit is based on expanding their market, not going deeper. My opinion of course.

Nandor
Nandor
1 year ago
Reply to  jonc

It’s cheap, relatively easy to obtain directly from the (legal) manufacturers through the mail… no messy cartels to deal with, and highly addictive. I don’t think the dealers really care if they kill their customers… they aren’t running out of them yet.

kermit
kermit
1 year ago
Reply to  Nandor

Wait, it’s actually possible to mail-order fentanyl? If so, there is something amiss with our laws!

bfine
bfine
1 year ago
Reply to  jonc

Addictive and super cheap to make

Guesty
Guesty
1 year ago
Reply to  jonc

Ya think!

CD Rez
CD Rez
1 year ago
Reply to  jonc

contamination by sloppy dealers processing multiple types of drugs

jack
jack
1 year ago
Reply to  CD Rez

This is a huge and underreported cause of fent ODs. Most ‘lacing’ is not as an addictive or enhancer; its just.. lazy.

bfine
bfine
1 year ago

You can also get at Peer Seattle on Cap Hill

jack
jack
1 year ago

A quick heads up – Peer Seattle on Bellevue between Pike & Pine has a vending machine that distributes these as well as safe sex kits free and anonymously. Come any time from 9-9!