Community Chat

[Stelladorable]

---

@RollTide2008 wrote:

---

@Stelladorable wrote:

@RollTide2008 I think the idea is to not offer any safety measures for addicts. Darwin them out of existence. Except we know addiction is a disease, part of a physical vulnerability that has existed since the beginning of time. Like cancer. It doesn't go away.

You may make it easier for addicts to get sick and die, but that's not going to stop addiction.

---

That's assuming it's just junkies who die using drugs.  What about the recreational users?  The kid in a club who gets a little ecstasy laces with fentanyl?  

---

Just junkies? That's like saying just old people die from Covid. Even if it were "just junkies", who are also human beings and loved, cherished by their familues, I'd want something done.

[gardenman]

"I have no idea why anyone would want fentanyl and it is so much more potent than any other drug on the market."

That is precisely why they want fentanyl, because it's more potent. For a while Philly police would report when overly potent drugs were on the street, but stopped when they realized it just created a buying frenzy for that drug. Addicts always want a bigger high. If you give out fentanyl test strips it'll just make fentanyl laced drugs more popular. People will stop buying the "pure" drug to get the fentanyl laced stuff that's more potent. 

Addicts don't think the way non-addicts think. They're driven to get high and higher and don't care about the risks. If they cared about the health risks they wouldn't be addicts.

Fentanyl test strips could possibly help casual drug users avoid the more dangerous stuff out there, but even casual drug users tend to ignore the risks. If they didn't ignore the risks they wouldn't be using illegal drugs. All illegal drug use carries with it all kinds of risks to health, safety, legal issues, employment issues, and more. Those using drugs knowingly ignore those risks and take their chances. 

[skatting44]

 well  now  there is a need  for those doing drugs to fear the newest  animal tranquilizer .

Detroit Free press  quote

" Xylazine, a fast-acting central nervous system depressant that is not approved for human use, is showing up largely in fentanyl, the ultra-potent synthetic opioid that is mixed into heroin and pressed into counterfeit pills and responsible for more overdose deaths than any other drug. Adding xylazine to fentanyl, which is also a depressant, increases the already high odds of overdose. It's a double whammy to the central nervous system. It "should be avoided at all cost," said UCLA researcher Joseph Friedman, who has studied the drug extensively. "

[gertrudecloset]

---

@Stelladorable wrote:

---

@gertrudecloset wrote:

---

@Stelladorable wrote:

@RollTide2008 I think the idea is to not offer any safety measures for addicts. Darwin them out of existence. Except we know addiction is a disease, part of a physical vulnerability that has existed since the beginning of time. Like cancer. It doesn't go away.

You may make it easier for addicts to get sick and die, but that's not going to stop addiction.

---

Darwin them out of existence?  How?  That theory has no basis in truth, as it's a theory.  Theories must be proven and that one never was @Stelladorable 

I recall a time that many localities and states gave out free needles and works to keep the spread of AIDS down among people who shot up heroine.  They gave out profolatics in high schools too.  I think they thought "saying no" wasn't going to work and found a work around.  

The policy rationale behind it was slow the transmission of a disease.  Of course, the unintended consequences were "free places to shoot up" with clean needles.  Sort of like saying it's ok to do.  

I have no idea why anyone would want fentanyl and it is so much more potent than any other drug on the market.

---

@gertrudecloset my post was tongue in cheek. I mention that we know that addiction is a disease and we won't stop addiction by allowing addicts to die.

---

Ohhhh, I see.  Tongue in cheek.  I would not have thought that for such a serious issue @Stelladorable , my bad.

[Linmo]

Fentanyl is being laced with many drugs right now, including some that are legal. People purchase them off the street to get a better price.  The healthcare system in our country is not the best for a lot of people.

Anything that prevents someone from dying of an accidental drug overdose, whether the drug is legal or not, is OK in my book.

[MorningLover]

What is the chocolate chip cookie effect?

This means that a portion of your drug may not contain fentanyl, while another portion may contain fentanyl. This is referred to as the “chocolate chip cookie effect,” with the cookie representing all the drug, and the chocolate chips representing fentanyl.

Fentanyl can come in different forms, such as pills, powder, and liquid. It has also been found mixed with other drugs, including heroin, counterfeit pills, methamphetamine (meth) and cocaine, or even replacing them entirely.

The powder from one side of a baggie (or on the edge of a pressed tablet) may contain no fentanyl at all, yet the powder from the other side may contain a fatal dose. This is why it is best to test every bit of the drug you intend to consume.

How to use fentanyl test strips

Below are steps to test your drugs for fentanyl using FTS. Depending on the types of drugs you’re testing, the steps may be slightly different:

• Step 1: Put a small amount (at least 10mg) of your drugs aside in a clean, dry container.

• Step 2: Add water to the container and mix together.
  • Please note: For most drugs, you need ½ teaspoon of water. If you are testing methamphetamines, use1 full teaspoon.
• Step 3: Place the wavy end of the test strip down in the water and let it absorb for about 15 seconds.

• Step 4: Take the strip out of the water and place it on a flat surface for 2 to 5 minutes.

• Step 5: Read results.

Positive results: A single pink line on the left-hand side indicates that fentanyl or a fentanyl analog has been detected in your drugs. If you receive a positive result, it is much safer to discard the batch. Using it could kill you. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is extremely potent and can be deadly.

Negative results: Two pink lines indicate that fentanyl or a fentanyl analog has not been detected in your 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.

Invalid results: A single pink line on the right-hand side or no lines at all, indicates an invalid test. If you get an invalid result, test your drugs again using a new strip.

source- cdc: Fentanyl Test Strips: A Harm Reduction Strategy