Federal Funds Can’t Be Spent on Giving Drug Users Test Strips, Raising Overdose Fears

The Trump administration’s decision to restrict the use of federal funds for providing test strips to drug users has raised concerns about the potential for increased overdose deaths. Test strips, which can identify dangerous hidden additives in street drugs, are seen as a crucial tool in preventing overdoses.

According to the administration, the use of federal funds for providing test strips to drug users is prohibited under the terms of the 21st Century Cures Act. The law, which was signed into effect in 2016, prohibits the use of federal funds for activities that are not ‘directly related to the administration or enforcement of a Federal program or activity.’

However, critics argue that the administration’s interpretation of the law is overly broad and that it could have devastating consequences for public health. ‘This is a classic example of the administration’s war on evidence-based policy,’ said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, co-director of the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University. ‘By restricting the use of test strips, the administration is essentially saying that we don’t care about preventing overdose deaths.’

Test strips can detect the presence of fentanyl, a highly potent and often deadly opioid that is commonly laced into street drugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl is responsible for an estimated 30,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2020 alone.

Despite the risks associated with fentanyl, the administration’s decision to restrict the use of test strips has been met with widespread criticism from public health experts and advocacy groups. ‘This is a reckless and misguided policy that will only serve to further exacerbate the opioid epidemic,’ said Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA). ‘We need to be doing everything in our power to prevent overdose deaths, not making it harder.’

The administration’s decision has also been criticized by some lawmakers, who argue that it is at odds with the intent of the 21st Century Cures Act. ‘The law was designed to promote evidence-based policy, not restrict it,’ said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD). ‘By restricting the use of test strips, the administration is essentially undermining the very purpose of the law.’

As the opioid epidemic continues to claim thousands of lives each year, the administration’s decision to restrict the use of test strips has raised concerns about the potential for increased overdose deaths. While the administration may argue that its decision is necessary to comply with the 21st Century Cures Act, critics argue that it is a misguided policy that will only serve to further exacerbate the crisis.

Key Facts:

• The Trump administration has restricted the use of federal funds for providing test strips to drug users.
• The 21st Century Cures Act prohibits the use of federal funds for activities that are not ‘directly related to the administration or enforcement of a Federal program or activity.’
• Test strips can detect the presence of fentanyl, a highly potent and often deadly opioid that is commonly laced into street drugs.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that fentanyl was responsible for an estimated 30,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2020 alone.