Advocates worry as government limits drug test strip funding : NPR

Key Points:

• Baltimore experienced three mass overdose incidents in its Penn North neighborhood last year, with drugs containing high levels of N-methylclonazepam, a benzodiazepine that increases overdose risk when combined with opioids.
• The Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition developed and distributed free test strips for benzodiazepines and other harmful adulterants like fentanyl, helping users identify dangerous substances before use.
• A new federal policy from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) bans the use of federal grants for distributing test strips and other harm reduction tools to the public, citing concerns that these practices facilitate illicit drug use.
• While federal funds can still be used to provide test strips to law enforcement and medical professionals, nonprofits must seek alternative funding to continue public distribution, potentially reducing harm reduction services.
• Experts emphasize that test strips can change drug users' behavior and, combined with naloxone distribution, have contributed to a significant decline in Baltimore overdose deaths; however, the new policy may hinder these progress efforts.