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The MATTERS team is excited to release its new test strip instructional video! Titled ‘How to Use Drug Testing Strips,’ this video will help individuals test their substances before use to prevent opioid overdoses.

For written instructions on how to use fentanyl and xylazine test strips, select one of the options below. To order free drug test strips, click here.

Why use test strips?

Fentanyl is a synthetic, or unnatural, opioid that is extremely potent and increases the risk of overdose when ingested. Fentanyl is approximately 50-times more potent than heroin and 100-times more potent than morphine. According to the New York State Department of Health, 92% of all opioid-related deaths in New York involved fentanyl in 2021.

Xylazine is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved veterinary sedative that is being added to the U.S. drug supply to lengthen the effects of other drugs, like fentanyl. Similar to fentanyl, xylazine is very potent and puts individuals at an increased risk of death due to its effects on breathing. Xylazine is toxic to humans and can cause severe wounds when ingested.

It is important for people who use drugs to test their substances before use. The MATTERS team hopes that this test strip instructional video can be a helpful resource for individuals and organizations to prevent opioid overdoses in their community. Individuals in New York State in need of fentanyl and xylazine test strips can order these supplies for free on the MATTERS website.

Sources

New York State Department of Health. New York State opioid annual report 2023. (p. 25). Retrieved from: https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/pdf/nys_opioid_annual_report_2023.pdf