Pass the STRIP Act

Fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in multiple kinds of drugs.[1] In 2021, overdose deaths due to fentanyl rose 26 percent from the previous year, reaching over 67,000.[2] The rapid rise in fentanyl-related deaths has been driven by the increasing presence of fentanyl in many drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reported a rapid rise in fentanyl-laced pills that can appear legitimate that, in fact, contain a potentially lethal amount of fentanyl.[3] In April 2023, the Biden Administration announced a multi-factored approach to disrupt fentanyl supply chains into the United States.[4] However, the problem remains that fentanyl testing strips are illegal in a handful of states.[5] The CDC recommends test strips as a means of saving lives and preventing drug overdoses.[1] Congress should pass the bipartisan STRIP Act to remove fentanyl test strips from the CSA, as well as increase funding to public health agencies to scale up the range of public health approaches, including fentanyl test strips, that are critical to saving lives.[6]