Paper fentanyl test strips are a simple way for people struggling with substance use to determine if fentanyl has been mixed into their drugs, but some advocates say they fail to help the people most at risk of dying from an opioid overdose.
A Canadian biotech company has developed new test strips to detect the dangerous animal tranquillizer xylazine in the highly toxic street drug supply but while the strips are already shipping across the U.S., Canada hasn’t yet approved the potentially lifesaving tool.
Another harmful substance is spreading within Canada s unregulated street drug supply and, without more aggressive intervention from policymakers, one expert says a growing number of people could be at risk of serious illness, injury or death.