The lethal combination of fentanyl & xylazine has quickly become an emerging threat to public health. “Pushing out testing equipment to help people avoid it can keep people safe and prevent overdose,” Drug Policy fellow Katharine Neill Harris explained.
The fentanyl overdose crisis continues to affect families across the country, a calamity that fellow Katharine Neill Harris says could have been prevented. “We really need to expand access to medically assisted treatment options,” she explained to Texas Monthly.
As drug-related deaths continue to climb, Katharine Neill Harris says legalizing test strips will lower numbers. “TX will be better prepared for new drug threats by permitting testing for other adulterants in addition to fentanyl,” she writes.
“The more people authorized to administer naloxone, the better,” said fellow Katharine Harris of a bill that equips Texas teachers to treat fentanyl overdoses. “The law would clear up any liability concerns & thus encourage more schools to have it available.”
“The dangers of fentanyl are heightened for non-opioid users,” fellow Katharine Harris explained to The Courier Journal. “People aren’t expecting opioids. They might have little to no opioid tolerance. And they might have no way of knowing.”