The announcement signals a shift in Abbott’s approach to fighting the opioid epidemic. He had previously pushed back against bills calling for the decriminalization of fentanyl testing strips.
Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday signaled his support for decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips, reversing his previous opposition to the idea as part of his efforts to fight opioid overdoses in the state.Greg Abbott
Abbott’s office has said that 1,672 people died from fentanyl-related deaths in 2021, according to preliminary data, compared with 883 in 2020. Just a few years before, in 2018, the state registered only 214 fentanyl-related deaths. Nationwide, more than 71,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses in 2021, a 23% increase over 2020.
Harm reduction groups who work with drug users have called for the decriminalization of testing strips for years. Sometimes, drug users don’t know that the drugs they buy are laced with fentanyl and unknowingly ingest the synthetic opioid, leading to overdoses. By using fentanyl testing strips to determine whether the opioid is present in their drugs, users can avoid overdosing on the powerful opioid.
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