FLORIDA, USA — Gov. DeSantis signed off on a bill this week that legalizes fentanyl test strips, allowing users to test pills and other substances for fentanyl before taking it.
Until now, the strips were considered drug paraphernalia, which made them illegal.
Fentanyl kills more than 150 people in the United States every day, and the synthetic opioid is 50 times stronger than heroin.
The strips show one red line if a substance tests positive for fentanyl, and two red lines if it’s negative. Opponents argue the strips enable drug users, but some disagree.
“The evidence just doesn’t support that. You know, people who are opioid dependent are going to use opioids,” said Corey Davis, Director of Harm Reduction Legal Project at the Network for Public Health. “Fentanyl test strips just help keep them alive until they are ready and able to access drug treatment.”
The bill passed in both the Florida House and Senate unanimously in March. It was approved by the governor Tuesday.