AUSTIN (KXAN) — National hurt discount teams are turning their attention to Texas as news concerning the breadth of our state’s overdose downside has grabbed headlines.
On Tuesday, the National Harm Reduction Coalition posted an article carried out in conjunction with State of Reform, a bunch that hosts conferences across the nation surrounding well being coverage and political reform, addressing the truth that fentanyl testing strips are nonetheless illegal in Texas regardless of the leap in overdoses and overdose deaths.
How we bought right here: KXAN’s earlier reporting on fentanyl testing strips
Fentanyl testing strips can be utilized to test medication, powders and tablets for the presence of fentanyl, which is commonly stronger than different medication and could be deadly. The strips permit folks to take additional steps to guard themselves or to not take the medication altogether.
But beneath the Texas Controlled Substances Act, drug testing gear is classed as drug paraphernalia, which makes it illegal for folks to recreationally test.
Despite that, some teams are nonetheless transport the checks to Texas and they’re available on websites like Amazon.
In the national report, State of Reform particularly pointed to Travis County and a current medical expert’s report which discovered in 2021, drug overdoses had been the main reason for unintended dying.
Travis County Judge Andy Brown instructed KXAN after that report was launched that he’s talked with state legislators about the opportunity of bringing the legality of testing strips ahead throughout the subsequent legislative session.
“I don’t think this is a partisan issue at all, nobody wants to see people dying in their community because of this,” Brown mentioned. “I’ll be reaching out to Democrats and Republicans to see if they would help sponsor this next session in January.”
That’s one thing the National Harm Reduction Coalition mentioned must occur — an overarching compliance with national methods.
“It’s very traumatic and difficult to do the work [of] taking care of patients when policymakers make it very difficult for me to provide that care,” mentioned Dr. Kimberly Sue, Assistant Professor at Yale University School of Medicine and Medical Director on the National Harm Reduction Coalition, in the State of Reform article.
