INDIANAPOLIS — Fentanyl test strips save lives. That's the message from the recovery community, but not all counties in Indiana have decriminalized their use. However, a new bill at the statehouse aims to change that. Recovery advocates have been pushing for years to get a bill passed to decriminalize test strips, which allow users to determine if fentanyl is present in their substances.
"There are some counties in Indiana where the prosecutors have said they will prosecute should they find a test strip on a person," said Justin Phillips, CEO of Overdose Lifeline.
Overdose Lifeline in Indianapolis distributes the test strips and has been fighting for legislation to decriminalize them for several years. They say there is a stigma surrounding test strips, much like the stigma associated with addiction itself.
"It's not paraphernalia. It's not telling you the strength of the substance. It's simply just saying is fentanyl present in this substance," said Jennings Tennery, a recovering heroin addict and Overdose Lifeline employee.
Tennery’s own experience reflects the urgency of this issue. Originally prescribed hydrocodone for migraines, she experienced a spiral into addiction. She credits access to test strips with saving her life.
"Although I wish it would have allowed me to say I am not going to use this substance, what it did give me was the opportunity to say I am not going to use alone. I did overdose and I was revived from Naloxone, but if I would have gone to my car or to an alley like I normally would have done to use alone, I probably would have died. So it gave me that option of making a different choice until I could find recovery for myself," Tennery said.
Test strips are considered a form of harm reduction. While the ultimate goal is to help people stop using drugs, advocates believe that measures like these also provide safety and dignity.
"It will eliminate the fear for people who want to test their drugs before they use them," Phillips said.
House Bill 1167recently passed on second reading out of the Senate, with one more vote required before heading to the governor’s desk for his signature. The bill seeks to amend Indiana's controlled substance paraphernalia statutes, explicitly stating that items marketed to detect the presence of a drug or controlled substance, including field test kits and test strips, will not be subject to prosecution.
If signed into law, this would mark a significant step forward in the fight against opioid overdoses and the stigmatization of drug use in the state. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.
