Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a potential life saving measure that must be decriminalized in the state of Texas.
Of Texans aged 15-24 years old, 411 died of a fentanyl overdose in 2023. Fentanyl-related deaths are showing no signs of slowing down as there have been 142 deaths in the same age range this year.
FTS are a “harm reduction tool” that can detect fentanyl in different drugs and drug forms. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), FTS are an incredibly important resource in preventing overdoses due to their low-cost and easy access in stores such as CVS and Walgreens.
“Criminalizing addiction, rather than treating it as a public health issue, has driven [individuals] into the shadows, where unregulated drugs such as fentanyl flourish,” Avery Guggenheim, political science senior and Texas State Democrats President, said. “Our leaders must act now to decriminalize these life-saving tools and take control of the substance supply to ensure that no more lives are needlessly lost.”
According to the Network for Public Health Law, in recent years, nearly 40 states decriminalized FTS. Despite this, FTS are classified as a Class C Misdemeanor in Texas, which is punishable by a $500 fine.
Texas lawmakers argue FTS fall under the umbrella of drug paraphernalia and therefore encourage people to abuse illegal drugs. Though Gov. Greg Abbott has taken steps to combat the fentanyl crisis, he has continuously turned a blind eye on FTS and craned his neck, along with the majority of the Texas Senate, toward the border for blame.
The Texas House of Representatives passed Texas House Bill 36, otherwise known as the fentanyl strip bill, in 2023. However, the bill died in the Republican-majority Texas Senate due to lawmakers believing it would influence people to use drugs.
If decriminalized in Texas, FTS have the strong potential to prevent accidental death. Fentanyl can be hidden in drinkable liquids such as water, solid digestant items and pills. Guggenheim said she lost her best friend, Savannah Crownover, to a fentanyl related accident.
There must be another bill passed for the decriminalization of FTS. It should not be too much to ask for Texas citizens to receive the bare minimum regarding potential overdose safety.
“We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to watch our community suffer, while families are being torn apart by tragedy that could be avoided,” Guggenheim said.
For now, one of the best options in fighting the fentanyl crisis is the nasal spray, Naloxone (Narcan). Texas State offers free Narcan to all students and staff at various locations on campus such as the Health Center.
Texas State students must be aware of potential dangers that have the ability to take lives. Ignoring the issue at hand will not make it disappear; action must be taken to fight the fentanyl crisis.
-Jolee Gavito is a journalism sophomore
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