The What & Why About Test Strips

The unfortunate truth of the unregulated drug supply is that we cannot know exactly what is in each drug. Consumers may be unaware that substances they use, like cocaine, could contain fentanyl and xylazine, which places them at increased risk of overdose and other health complications.

Fentanyl

What and Where is Fentanyl?

  • Fentanyl is an odorless, colorless opioid that has been shown to increase risk of opioid overdose in comparison to heroin.

  • It has been increasingly found in the unregulated drug supply including in combination with other drugs, like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and counterfeit pills.

What happens with intake/overdose of fentanyl?

The signs of a fentanyl overdose are the same as an overdose of any opioid including:

  • Small, constricted "pinpoint pupils"

  • Falling asleep or losing consciousness

  • Slow, weak, or no breathing

  • Choking or gurgling sounds

  • Cold and/or clammy skin

  • Discolored skin – especially in lips and nails

  • Death

Xylazine

What and Where is Xylazine?

Xylazine is a sedative typically used in veterinary medicine.

Unregulated drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and non-prescribed fentanyl can be mixed with xylazine, either to enhance drug effects or increase street value by increasing their weight.

What happens with intake/overdose of xylazine?

  • Sedation

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Dangerously low blood pressure

  • Slowed heart rate

  • Severe withdrawal symptoms

  • Severe wounds that can become infected and lead to amputation

Test Strips

Fentanyl test strips (FTS), xylazine test strips (XTS), and other test strips can help reduce overdoses and deaths. Like naloxone, it is important to improve access to test strips and other tools that can reduce overdoses.

Quiz

In an overdose involving xylazine, naloxone should be administered.



How Do Test Strips Work?

  • Fentanyl and xylazine test strips are single-use immunoassay tests that work similar to Covid-19 tests to determine the presence or absence of the tested substance.

  • Test Strips can only indicate the presence of fentanyl, not the amount or potency.

Are Test Strips Accurate and Reliable?

  • Most FTS on the market demonstrate an accuracy rate between 96% and 100% in detecting fentanyl.1

  • XTS similarly demonstrated high sensitivity (100%), specificity (85%), and precision (91%) when compared to results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.