Illicit substances are highly unpredictable and can be mixed with lethal doses of fentanyl that can cause an overdose – even in very small amounts.

Individuals who misuse stimulants (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines) may be unknowingly exposed to fentanyl and are especially vulnerable to overdose. Counterfeit pills, such as “blue oxys” and fake Xanax, have become increasingly available and are commonly laced with fentanyl.

To help curb the dramatic increase in drug overdose deaths driven by synthetic opioids like fentanyl, federal funding is being used to purchase rapid fentanyl test strips that can be used to find out if drugs have been mixed or cut with fentanyl. This will help people who use drugs reduce their risk of overdose. DAODAS contracts with many community distributors of naloxone in South Carolina to enhance their overdose prevention programs by offering fentanyl test strips at no cost.

NOTE: A negative test result does not mean an individual’s drugs are 100% safe. All street drug use comes with risks.