There is no way to know how much fentanyl is in something based on look, smell, or taste. It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with fentanyl test strips.  Any opioid pill not from a pharmacy is highly likely to be fake and contain fentanyl.  Fentanyl has shown up in pill, powder, and rock form in WA State. The amount of fentanyl in a substance can vary widely.

If used correctly, fentanyl test strips (FTS) can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables).  These strips can be a useful harm reduction tool for people who use drugs. Remember that no test is 100% accurate and your drugs may still contain fentanyl or fentanyl analogs even if you receive a negative result. You should still take caution as FTS might not detect more potent fentanyl-like drugs, like carfentanil, and fentanyl might not be everywhere in your drugs and your test might miss it.

• Important:  When fentanyl is mixed with other drugs, it is never mixed evenly. Powder from one side of a baggie may contain no fentanyl at all, yet powder from the other side could contain a fatal dose. This is called  the “chocolate chip  cookie effect” and  it’s why it is best  to test everything  you intend to consume

• Best Method:  Test everything you intend to consume. This requires dissolving your entire dose in water. For drugs consumed orally, you can simply drink the water after testing. The strips do not contaminate the water. For drugs like cocaine or meth that people like to insufflate (snort), you can get the powder back by evaporating the water

• Fentanyl test strips are available at Student Health Services to CWU students at no cost.  Simply ask your provider at your next visit, or call (509) 963-1881 to schedule a nurse visit.
• You can also purchase fentanyl test strips from DanceSafe and Dosetest.
• Some WA State syringe services programs can provide fentanyl test strips. Call ahead to check availability.

In addition to using fentanyl test strips to know if fentanyl is in your drugs, there are other ways to lower your risk of overdose. You can take steps to keep yourself and others safe:

• Keep naloxone readily available on you and at home. Narcan (Naloxone) is available at Student Health Services to CWU students at no cost. Call us at (509) 963-1881 to schedule a nurse visit.  People living in Washington State can also receive free Naloxone in the mail by placing an order here (limited to one order per person a month).  Naloxone is free at pharmacies for people with Medicaid/Washington Apple Health insurance. No prescription is needed.  To find naloxone near you, visit Stopoverdose.org
• Avoid mixing drugs. Mixing multiple stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine, depressants like opioids and alcohol, or a combination of both can cause harm and potentially death.
• Don’t rely on a previous source or experience. Knowing where your drugs come from doesn’t mean they’re safe. And even if you have used drugs before, your body could react differently every time.
• Never use drugs alone. Make sure the people around you are aware when you have taken drugs in case they need to give you naloxone or call for emergency assistance.