Several states legalize Fentanyl test strips to help save lives

Across the country more states are beginning to legalize drug testing strips that can detect the presence of the potent opioid Fentanyl to avoid deadly overdoses. Arizona is the latest state to legalize these it, allowing users to see if their drugs have been laced with lethal doses.

Sonoran Prevention Works in Arizona, helps families affected by drugs and sees thousands of people each year. "A deadly dose of Fentanyl is not very much at all, it's a couple of granules…and because it's showing up in drugs and people don't know it, because it's not regulated in any capacity, and because it's so strong and potent it is accidentally being mixed into drugs, or it's really easy to accidentally put too much in a drug," said Haley Coles, Executive Director of the organization.  Arizona is the latest state to legalize these Fentanyl testing strips, allowing users to see if their drugs have been laced with lethal doses. Governor Doug Ducey signed the legislation on May 19th and it will take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends.