Fentanyl test strips can help save lives Heres where to find them around Capitol Hill

Fentanyl test strips are increasingly available in Capitol Hill as a response to the alarming rise in fentanyl-related deaths, which jumped from 3 in 2015 to 395 in 2021 in King County. Local aid groups and businesses are taking the initiative to distribute these strips, providing a critical resource for users to test their drugs for fentanyl contamination. While these strips can yield false positives, particularly with stimulants, they remain an important tool for harm reduction. Community organizations also distribute naloxone, which can reverse opioid overdoses, a necessity given fentanyl's high potency. Ian Eisenberg, who owns Uncle Ike’s, highlights the community's shared grief over drug-related fatalities and the need for effective harm reduction strategies.

Although naloxone is readily available at pharmacies, fentanyl test strips are less accessible, leading to creative distribution methods by local organizations. The People’s Harm Reduction Alliance and other groups are working to ensure these strips reach those who need them. Efforts to provide testing kits and naloxone in low-income housing further underscore the community's commitment to reducing preventable deaths from drug overdoses.