Ohio should decriminalize fentanyl strips | News, Sports, Jobs

Ohio House members did the right thing Wednesday when they passed a bill that would decriminalize fentanyl testing strips. Let’s hope the state Senate does the same.

Fentanyl testing strips have been shown to be effective at detecting the presence of fentanyl in drug samples prior to use. Research conducted by a community-based distribution program for the strips in North Carolina shows 81 percent of those with access to the strips routinely tested their drugs before use; and those who see a positive test result when using the strips are five times more likely to change their drug use behavior to reduce the risk of overdose.

In other words, access to fentanyl testing strips can change behavior, reduce overdose risk and save lives. But for now, the strips are still classified as illegal drug paraphernalia.

“It takes a very small amount to cause a lethal overdose,” Ohio State University assistant professor Kelsey Schmuhl told the Ohio Capital Journal. “Even more concerning is the fact that fentanyl is often being mixed into other drugs without the user’s knowledge,” Schmuhl said.

State Rep. Kristin Boggs, D-Columbus, is right, of course. She called the measure a critical step but said it is only part of the comprehensive drug treatment needed to combat the crisis we are facing.

Lawmakers must continue taking those steps, and surely members of the state Senate will understand that.

Any tool that has the potential not only to save lives but to serve as a wake-up call to those who are ready to enter the recovery process should be readily available, not criminalized.

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