Where to find fentanyl test strips in Morgantown

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — May 7 is Fentanyl Awareness Day, which has led organizations like the Morgantown-based “Test Strips Save Lives Foundation” and Quick Response Teams across the state to provide resources and raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl-laced substances.

“We essentially set up containers where people can take these fentanyl test strip kits for free and bring them home and if they’re gonna—if they know someone who’s using a substance, if they’re gonna use it themselves—if people are going to be doing anything and taking any substance, we just want to make sure they’re as safe as possible,” Test Strips Save Lives President Alex Fisher said.

According to the CDC, as of 2022, West Virginia had the highest rate of fentanyl overdose rates in the country .

Different kinds of fentanyl test strips can be found, but the ones Fisher’s group gives away have two single-use test strips, measuring spoons and instructions. Fisher said that the more of a substance you have to test, the better the results.

Fisher said the kits give people a chance to take their safety into their own hands. “This is an issue that is not going away and we need to do something about, and that’s kind of what we’re doing here,” Fisher said.

If a substance tests positive for fentanyl, officials said not to flush it down the drain or throw it in the trash as it can affect the water supply.

West Virginia Sober Living Executive Director Jon Dower told 12 News that rather than transporting potentially dangerous drugs on their person or in their vehicle, people can reach out to their local QRT for proper disposal kits.

“These little bags that turn any substance, whether it’s a pharmaceutical pill, a powder—whatever it is, into something that can be thrown away in the trash can in a safe, effective manner,” said Dower.

Although some critics of the test strips believe this encourages more drug use, Fisher believes otherwise. “In a way, it is enabling it, but it is enabling it in a much safer fashion. I think the worst thing you can do is just sit and let it run its course,” Fisher said.

Fisher created the foundation after losing a loved one and seeing the overdose epidemic that exists in West Virginia. The group has been active for almost a year and a half and so far, and has given out 7,300 test strips to date and raised $13,000 to make the kits available to the public.

“It’s a really low barrier way to do harm reduction so, I mean each kit only costs us between like—about a dollar now, even cheaper, and to have you know, one person at least have a safer experience using a substance—that a dollar goes a long way,” Fisher said.

The group also hopes to expand the places where they give out kits and make Narcan available in several Morgantown nightlife spots.

The following locations have already received their test kits:

• The Grind
• Ashebrooke Liquors
• Fat Daddy’s Bar and Grill
• Buddy’s Bud Co
• Art Bar
• Almost Heaven
• Annex
• Sunny’s of Sunnyside

To learn more about the foundation and their work you can go here . To contact the Monongalia County QRT you can go here .

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