Reducing Your Risk of an Accidental Overdose
There are many substances that can create an increased risk of overdose. While fentanyl is the predominant synthetic opioid causing the majority of the overdoses, these steps are always helpful to reduce your risk as new analogues of fentanyl or other NPS (New Psychoactive Substance) continue to increase. This is even more important if your test indicates positive for fentanyl (only one red line).
The DOPE Project - which is a program of the National Harm Reduction Coalition suggests the following:
Use slow and use less. A little goes a long way with fentanyl and overdoses can occur quickly, sometimes before a person has finished consuming the entire dose.
Try snorting or smoking instead of injecting. Injecting carries the highest risk for overdose, so shifting to snorting or smoking may help reduce risk. A person can still overdose by smoking or snorting, especially with fentanyl, so start slow.
Space out doses. Take time between doses because fentanyl acts fast and is different for everyone, depending on dose and tolerance.
Practice extra caution when using alone. We’re safer together, but it’s not always possible to be with a friend you trust. Try to have someone you know check on you if you have to use alone so they can intervene in the event of an overdose. Consider using the Never Use Alone hotline tel:877-696-1996.
In a group? Stagger your use. Make sure someone is always alert and that at least one person has naloxone (Narcan) on them.
Test it. Knowing what’s in drugs can help with the decision of how much and how best to use them. (Remember - the fentanyl test strips just test for fentanyl and some of its analogues)
Always carry naloxone. Be familiar with the signs of an overdose and be prepared to respond with naloxone (Narcan).
Listen to your body. Overall health impacts overdose risk. Hydrate, eat, and rest as much as possible.
You can find out more by checking out the DOPE Project’s Fentanyl Use and and Overdose Prevention Tips.
Fentanyl in the News and Journals
DEA Issues Public Safety Alert on Sharp Increase in Fake Prescription Pills Containing Fentanyl and Meth September 27, 2021
“Fentanyl Test Strips Empower People And Save Lives—So Why Aren’t They More Widespread?, " Health Affairs Blog, June 2, 2021.
High concentrations of illicit stimulants and cutting agents cause false positives on fentanyl test strips. Harm Reduction Journal, May 2021.
Video: Using Urine Drug Test Strips as a Harm Reduction Tool
Multimedia: FORECAST Study: Detecting Fentanyl. Saving Livings – Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Frequently asked questions
Do the strips tell you how much fentanyl is present?
No, the strips only tell you if the concentration of fentanyl or fentanyl analogues is greater than the threshold for giving a positive result. If both red lines are visible (even if the one closest to the end that was in the product), the threshold was not met.
If a fentanyl test strip is negative, does that mean you can’t overdose?
No, even if a fentanyl test strip reveals a negative result could still overdose. There are many risk factors to experiencing an opioid overdose (i.e. mixing drugs, reduced tolerance, using alone, unknown products, physical and mental health, etc.). In addition, fentanyl test strips do have some potential for false negatives and false positives and the drugs being tested may contain a fentanyl analogue that is not detected by the strips. Contact DanceSafe for their latest list of analogues that the strips will detect.