politics
Trump administration reverses on paying for fentanyl detection strips
Key takeaways
- However, the notice emphasized that federal funds can still be used for test strips to be used by public health officials, law enforcement, medical workers and others in professional settings.
- Test strips cost about $1 each and can detect drugs like fentanyl or animal tranquilizers like xylazine and medetomidine.
- But the reversal is the latest example of the administration’s clear and deliberate shift away from “harm reduction” strategies and toward an abstinence-first model.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
In an open letter to federal grantees, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said it was ending the practice, which it has championed since 2021, because the strips are “intended for use by people using drugs.”
However, the notice emphasized that federal funds can still be used for test strips to be used by public health officials, law enforcement, medical workers and others in professional settings.
Test strips cost about $1 each and can detect drugs like fentanyl or animal tranquilizers like xylazine and medetomidine. Many states have legalized test strips in an effort to slow the number of overdose deaths.
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