Interior Health knows there are users in the region, and they are trying to limit as many possible casualties killed by laced drugs. 

According to IH, new take-home drug testing strips are available and offer an alternative to clients who previously had to come to supervised consumption sites or community health centres to check their drugs. 

Photo Credit: Interior Health

“Because of the stigma that still surrounds addiction, many people die from overdose alone and at home,” said Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Giving people a simple, convenient way to check if their drugs contain fentanyl may help them avoid an overdose, and reduce the number of lives lost to the unpredictable and toxic drug supply.”

The fentanyl test strips are now at community-based agencies in Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kelowna, Merritt, Nelson, and Vernon. 

“For many people, there’s a certain amount of shame associated with their addiction, which makes it challenging for them to access drug-checking services at health care facilities,” said Roger Parsonage, Interior Health Executive Director, Clinical Operations, with responsibility for Mental Health and Substance Use Network. “With these take-home drug checking strips, they can now make informed, safer choices – this service has the potential to save lives.”

A study completed by IH, Vancouver Coastal Health, and the BC Centre for Disease Control concluded that the take-home strips had nearly the same result for positively identifying laced drugs as going to drug checking sites did. 

Results from 994 take-home fentanyl test strips were compared to testing at community-based agencies. Take-home drug checking found 89.95% of opioid samples contained fentanyl, while on-site drug checking found 89.14%. Of the clients using the strips who had drugs positively tested for fentanyl, 27% opted to make the safer choice and use it with a friend. 

For more information on where to pick up drug testing strips, click here.