Fentanyl test strips being given away

NORWALK — When somebody uses an illegal narcotic, such as heroin, much of the danger comes from whether the drug is contaminated with fentanyl. The administration for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently revealed how it reached a milestone in its efforts to reduce the number of fatal drug overdoses in Ohio. Ohio has now given out more than 1 million fentanyl test strips statewide, the governor's office said in a news release. Ohioans who can't find fentanyl test strips from a local organization can order them free from a state website. Fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can be used to detect the presence of fentanyl in drugs. Fentanyl is an extremely potent drug that is blamed for many fatal drug overdoses, both in Ohio and in the U.S. Ohio had 4,915 unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2022, a decline of about 5%. It's believed that more than 100,000 Americans died nationwide from drug overdoses in 2022. The DeWine administration says it has used a number of different groups and government agencies to give away fentanyl test strips, including local health departments, harm reduction groups, colleges and law enforcement agencies. Free fentanyl test strips and free naloxone may be ordered from a state website, naloxone.ohio.gov. Naloxone can be given to people suffering from a drug overdose to revive them. The Erie County Health Department also provides free naloxone. The Erie County Health Department used to give away fentanyl test strips but currently does not do so, said Trey Hardy, the assistant health commissioner. The health department does pursue harm reduction measures, but "we just haven't gotten back into the strips," Hardy said. Huron County Public Health does offer free fentanyl test strips. "Huron County Public Health (HCPH) has fentanyl test strips available for the public. They are free of charge, and are available in our 24/7 harm reduction vending machine located outside our main office at 28 Executive Drive in Norwalk," said spokesperson Cyleen Sharpe. "HCPH distributes the test strips at 5 test strips per pack, and each pack includes detailed instructions on how to utilize the test strips." Sandusky Artisans Recovery Community Center, a peer support group in Sandusky that helps people dealing with substance abuse issues, has fentanyl test strips available but has only given away a few so far, said Mary Supina, the co-founder of the organization. Some people apparently are so anxious to feed their addictions, they don't take the time to be safe, Supina said. "The need takes over common sense," she said. Sandusky Artisans is located at 138 E. Market St. in downtown Sandusky. The telephone number is 419-621-9377. Summit County Public Health stated that when fentanyl is detected in a drug supply, the drug user should go slow while using the drug, discard the supply or use less. But no drug is completely safe and a drug may not be completely free of fentanyl, even if it tests negative. Other safety advice is to always have naloxone on hand, never to use alone as many people die from drug overdoses before anyone else has realized what has happened, and always seek medical attention after a drug overdose. Drug users who want to begin the road to recovery may call a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-826-1306 or Text 4HOPE to 741741. The Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services Board of Erie County pays for treatment for people who otherwise could not afford it, and the Erie County Health Department operates a detox center for people to begin recovery.