SAN ANTONIO — Fentanyl test strips provide an affordable way to detect the presence of fentanyl in multiple kinds of drugs. While taking non-prescribed or illegal drugs already carries significant risks, the test strips would allow people to find out what is truly in that drug and avoid a lethal dose of fentanyl.
The CDC endorses the use of these strips. Still, if you live in Texas, there is one significant drawback.
In Texas, fentanyl test strips are technically illegal drug paraphernalia.
HB 362 would make fentanyl test strips, and other equipment to detect fentanyl, not illegal. The bill passed the Texas House of Representatives with a 143-2 vote on April 11.
The bill then went to the Senate's Committee on Criminal Justice the next day and it's been sitting there ever since despite apparent support from the committee chairman. Meanwhile there are 30 days left in the Texas legislative session.
Nonprofit Texas Harm Reduction Alliance held a protest to try and get the bill moving Thursday and crowded into the office of Senator Joan Huffman to ask why the bill had not been taken up.
"What is her position on the fentanyl testing proposals that are sitting idle right now as thousands of people are dying in this state?" one protestor asked in a video posted on Twitter.
Protestors left disappointed. Huffman was not in and nonprofit organizer JJ Ramirez said they did not get an answer. Now the nonprofit is asking other to reach out to the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice.
"Call anybody on the committee, the chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, and just pressure them to get it put on. That's where it is being hung up and we don't understand why," Ramirez said.
The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice next meets on Tuesday, March 2. Ramirez hopes it will at least be brought up and debated so they can have their voices heard.
"It's just the most basic tool to be able to safe a life. Just being able to take this strip, put it in a substance, and see if fentanyl is in that or not," Ramirez said. "We strongly believe that this tool can save lots and lots of lives."