Drug Users To Help Camden County Test For Fentanyl In Narcotics

CAMDEN COUNTY, NJ — Camden County has introduced a pilot program to study the use of Fentanyl testing strips by anyone who is battling addiction, county officials announced. The program involves using self-reported drug users who report to officials on the effectiveness of the strips, used to identify Fentanyl in drugs when it might have otherwise gone undetected.

Fentanyl testing strips are being used to help prevent unintentional Fentanyl exposure and accidental overdose from opioids and other illicit drugs, officials said. The kits allow anyone to test substances for the presence of Fentanyl prior to use, and officials said they are easy to use.

“It has become increasingly common for Fentanyl to make its way into heroin, but also cocaine and methamphetamine supplies with many users, and often even dealers, unaware of its presence,” Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said. “Drug use is inherently laden with health risks, but Fentanyl poses a unique threat because it is so often ingested unknowingly. This program aims to arm users with the tools to test for it, and to give them the chance to opt for a safer alternative.”

The three-to-six month program will include self-reported drug users from Camden City who have used drugs within the last 30 days, officials said. Participants will be willing to complete a short qualitative survey and receive a brief overdose education with training on how to use the strips.

They will then receive a Fentanyl Testing Strip-Protect a Life Kit, which includes 10 strips, Narcan with instructions, and a help list for treatment and recovery options. Each participant will return two to four weeks after training to complete a follow-up and answer questions regarding their experience with FTS, whether they used any of the items in the kit, and if they shared the information they received with others.

“Drug overdose is preventable, that’s the message we’re trying to send to the folks who need to hear it most,” Cappelli said. “This is an opportunity to study another measure that we believe could be critical in minimizing the number of lives lost to this nationwide epidemic each year. If you use one of these strips and it comes back positive for Fentanyl, you’ve just been given a second chance at life. We’re proud to offer that to anyone we can.”

Distribution sites for the kits have yet to be determined. The number of kits to be distributed is expected to fall between 500 and 1,000.

Synthetic opioids, particularly Fentanyl, have been linked to an increase in overdose deaths since 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In New Jersey, drug-related deaths increased by 75 percent between 2015 and 2019, during which period 66 percent of suspected heroin submissions contained Fentanyl or a Fentanyl class compound.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever used to treat severe pain, typically associated with advanced stages of cancer. Fentanyl is extremely potent, anywhere from 50 to 100 times as potent as morphine, and deadly when misused. A fatal dose of Fentanyl is equivalent to a piece of baby aspirin cut into 324 equal pieces.

The launch of the program comes shortly after officials announced Camden County would receive $190,039 to expand its Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program to combat opioid abuse. Read more here: Camden County’s Drug Treatment Program For Prisoners To Expand

Other initiatives Camden County has in place to combat the opioid epidemic include Project SAVE, an early intervention program at the municipal court level; putting naloxone in the hands of all first responders; and working with medical providers to limit opioid prescriptions have played a vital role in curbing the public health crisis.

In January, 280 people died due to an overdose in New Jersey, according to the state's preliminary data. That's a 2.8 percent decrease from December.