Fentanyl Test Strips

Stay Aware, Stay Safe

Fentanyl test strips (FTS) can detect the presence of fentanyl in both opioids and non-opioids. We offer free fentanyl test strip kits, as well as informational resources, to encourage safer use practices and prevent overdose deaths.

Please fill out this form if you’re an individual interested in a fentanyl test strip kit. Organizations or groups seeking FTS should contact odp@rummlerhope.org.

Fentanyl Test Strip Instructions
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Instrucciones para las Tiras Reactivas de Fentanilo
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Fentanyl: What You Should Know

Video Notes: Fentanyl test strips (FTS) can detect the presence of fentanyl in both opioids and non-opioids. Click here for a list of fentanyl analogues detected by BTNX test strips, and more specific information about testing meth and MDMA.

  • Fentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid that has been used in clinical settings for decades and is often described as 80-100 times stronger than morphine, or about 50 times stronger than heroin. (National Harm Reduction Coalition)
  • Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Fentanyl, in its prescription form, is known by such names as Actiq®, Duragesic®, and Sublimaze®. Street names for fentanyl or fentanyl-laced heroin include Apache, China Girl, White China, Dance Fever, Jackpot, Murder 8, TNT, Tango and Cash, Friend, Goodfella, and Redrum. (MDH)
  • Fentanyl moving through the street market comes in a powder form and can be injected, smoked, or snorted. It has also been found in other drugs, like heroin, meth, cocaine, and pressed pills. (National Harm Reduction Coalition)
  • Naloxone and Fentanyl Informational Card (SRHN’s Healing Together campaign)

“Chocolate-chipping” or the “Chocolate Chip Cookie Effect.”

This concept illustrates the importance of properly preparing your sample. When fentanyl is mixed with other drugs, it never mixes evenly and can clump together. Think of your drug as the cookie and fentanyl as the chocolate chips. A pinch of heroin from one side of a baggie might contain no fentanyl at all, while a spot on the other side might contain a fatal dose. This also applies to pressed tablets, part of a tablet could contain fentanyl while another part has none. It’s safest, therefore, to test the entire dose you intend to consume, and crush entire tablets to be sure nothing is potentially missed. Remember that one dose may not be representative of a whole batch, so it’s recommended to test every time you use.

  • You cannot overdose simply by touching fentanyl. It must be introduced into the bloodstream or a mucus membrane in order for someone to feel the effects. While there are fentanyl patches that can be placed on the skin for pain management, this is not the formulation being cut into other substances (National Harm Reduction Coalition)
  • Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues (some stronger than fentanyl, some weaker) are not “naloxone resistant.” They are opioids and will respond to naloxone if someone is overdosing. When it appears that someone overdosing is not responding to naloxone it may be because:
    • the naloxone needs more time to take effect (wait 2-3 minutes before administering more naloxone)
    • they need more than one dose of naloxone (wait 2-3 minutes between doses)
    • the naloxone was administered after the person had been without oxygen for too long (National Harm Reduction Coalition)

According to the Minnesota Department of Health: “A fentanyl analogue is a drug that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug. Some manufacturers create new fentanyl analogs to avoid classification as illegal, policy restrictions on manufacturing, and/or detection in standard drug tests. New fentanyl analogs are being made regularly.”

  • It’s important to note that fentanyl test strips may not detect every fentanyl analogue, so you should always proceed with caution
  • For a full list of analogues detected by BTNX fentanyl test strips, click here.

If you intend to proceed with use after testing, below are some safer use strategies. Remember that regardless of your test result, it’s always best to exercise caution:

  • Never Use Alone. Try to never use alone if possible. We’re safer together. If you are using alone, practice extra caution. Have someone you trust check on you so they can intervene in the event of an overdose.
  • Always carry naloxone/NARCAN®. Be familiar with the signs of an overdose and be prepared to respond with naloxone, no matter what drug you’re using. If you are in need of a naloxone kit or overdose rescue training, Steve Rummler HOPE Network can help!
  • Stagger use within your group. If you’re using with a group, make sure someone is always alert and ready to respond with naloxone/NARCAN®.
  • Have a plan. In MN, Steve’s Law provides limited criminal immunity to an individual seeking help in the event of an overdose and the person experiencing the overdose. Make sure there is a person designated to seek help and that person stays alert.
  • Try to use only one substance at a time. Mixing substances (including alcohol) can produce stronger, unpredictable, and dangerous effects and may increase the risk of overdose.
  • Do a test dose. Start with a smaller dose, especially when using a new drug or getting your drug from a new source.
  • Use sterile supplies. Using sterile supplies (clean needles and cookers, sterile water, etc) to prepare and administer your drugs can help reduce risk of infection and contracting hepatitis or HIV. These supplies can be found at syringe exchange programs. Scan the code below for a list of local providers.
  • Smoke or snort instead of injecting. Injecting carries the highest risk for overdose, so shifting to snorting or smoking may help reduce risk. You can still OD by smoking/snorting, especially with fentanyl. So start slow.
  • Use slowly & carefully. Because fentanyl is so strong, a little goes a long way and overdose can occur quickly. Give yourself time between doses. Fentanyl acts fast but it’s different for everyone.

Source: National Harm Reduction Coalition

Do the strips tell you how much fentanyl is present?
No. Test strips do not tell any information about the percentages of fentanyl in drugs nor do they detect any other drugs. Fentanyl test strips will only tell you if the concentration of fentanyl or fentanyl analogues is greater than the threshold for giving a positive result.

Is it true that these strips were designed for urine tests?
Yes. Rapid Response Drug Test Strips are manufactured as urine tests, but have been used by harm reduction groups for years to test drug supplies before use and have been promoted by the manufacturer (BTNX Inc.) as an important tool in harm reduction strategies. Read more about how these strips have been proven to effectively reduce overdose risk:

Does a negative result mean that I’m not at risk of an overdose?
No. No test can be guaranteed as 100% accurate, and no drug is 100% safe. Even if a fentanyl test strip displays a negative test result, there is still a risk for overdose. There are many risk factors to experiencing an opioid overdose (i.e. mixing drugs, reduced tolerance, using alone, unknown products, physical and mental health, etc.). In addition, strips may not detect fentanyl if the sample is too watered down, or the drugs being tested may contain a fentanyl analogue that is not detected by the strips. (FentCheck)

Is it possible for marijuana to be laced with fentanyl?
There have been many accounts of both marijuana and other cannabinoid products being contaminated with fentanyl, but few confirmed reports. Unfortunately, any off-market product has the potential risk of contamination. At this time, there are no clear guidelines as to how FTS could be used to detect fentanyl in these substances. In absence of the option to test, people planning to use these substances should always use safer use strategies and have naloxone on hand.

What is “Wooden Chest Syndrome”?
Discovered during a study of opioids’ effects on the respiratory system in 1953 by Hamilton (MD) and Cullen (MD), wooden chest syndrome (WCS) is a rare condition that causes rigidity in skeletal muscles, making it hard for an individual to properly breathe. Exposure to intravenous fentanyl or other synthetic opioids poses a higher risk for developing WCS due to its high potency. Common physical signs of WCS are episodic “breath-holding spells,” tense abdominal muscles, a firmly locked jaw, and stiff extremities. In the most severe cases, an individual may not be able to breathe at all. 

Naloxone may be able reverse the effects and stop wooden chest syndrome, however rescue breaths may not be enough to help the individual in distress; mechanical ventilation may be needed. Call 911 if you suspect that an individual is experiencing an overdose or WCS and administer naloxone right away.

  • How to Test

    Video Notes: Fentanyl test strips (FTS) can detect the presence of fentanyl in both opioids and non-opioids. Click here for a list of fentanyl analogues detected by BTNX test strips, and more specific information about testing meth and MDMA.

  • Fast Facts
    • Fentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid that has been used in clinical settings for decades and is often described as 80-100 times stronger than morphine, or about 50 times stronger than heroin. (National Harm Reduction Coalition)
    • Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
    • Fentanyl, in its prescription form, is known by such names as Actiq®, Duragesic®, and Sublimaze®. Street names for fentanyl or fentanyl-laced heroin include Apache, China Girl, White China, Dance Fever, Jackpot, Murder 8, TNT, Tango and Cash, Friend, Goodfella, and Redrum. (MDH)
    • Fentanyl moving through the street market comes in a powder form and can be injected, smoked, or snorted. It has also been found in other drugs, like heroin, meth, cocaine, and pressed pills. (National Harm Reduction Coalition)
    • Naloxone and Fentanyl Informational Card (SRHN’s Healing Together campaign)

    “Chocolate-chipping” or the “Chocolate Chip Cookie Effect.”

    This concept illustrates the importance of properly preparing your sample. When fentanyl is mixed with other drugs, it never mixes evenly and can clump together. Think of your drug as the cookie and fentanyl as the chocolate chips. A pinch of heroin from one side of a baggie might contain no fentanyl at all, while a spot on the other side might contain a fatal dose. This also applies to pressed tablets, part of a tablet could contain fentanyl while another part has none. It’s safest, therefore, to test the entire dose you intend to consume, and crush entire tablets to be sure nothing is potentially missed. Remember that one dose may not be representative of a whole batch, so it’s recommended to test every time you use.

  • Myths
    • You cannot overdose simply by touching fentanyl. It must be introduced into the bloodstream or a mucus membrane in order for someone to feel the effects. While there are fentanyl patches that can be placed on the skin for pain management, this is not the formulation being cut into other substances (National Harm Reduction Coalition)
    • Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues (some stronger than fentanyl, some weaker) are not “naloxone resistant.” They are opioids and will respond to naloxone if someone is overdosing. When it appears that someone overdosing is not responding to naloxone it may be because:
      • the naloxone needs more time to take effect (wait 2-3 minutes before administering more naloxone)
      • they need more than one dose of naloxone (wait 2-3 minutes between doses)
      • the naloxone was administered after the person had been without oxygen for too long (National Harm Reduction Coalition)
  • Fentanyl Analogues

    According to the Minnesota Department of Health: “A fentanyl analogue is a drug that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug. Some manufacturers create new fentanyl analogs to avoid classification as illegal, policy restrictions on manufacturing, and/or detection in standard drug tests. New fentanyl analogs are being made regularly.”

    • It’s important to note that fentanyl test strips may not detect every fentanyl analogue, so you should always proceed with caution
    • For a full list of analogues detected by BTNX fentanyl test strips, click here.
  • Reducing Overdose Risk

    If you intend to proceed with use after testing, below are some safer use strategies. Remember that regardless of your test result, it’s always best to exercise caution:

    • Never Use Alone. Try to never use alone if possible. We’re safer together. If you are using alone, practice extra caution. Have someone you trust check on you so they can intervene in the event of an overdose.
    • Always carry naloxone/NARCAN®. Be familiar with the signs of an overdose and be prepared to respond with naloxone, no matter what drug you’re using. If you are in need of a naloxone kit or overdose rescue training, Steve Rummler HOPE Network can help!
    • Stagger use within your group. If you’re using with a group, make sure someone is always alert and ready to respond with naloxone/NARCAN®.
    • Have a plan. In MN, Steve’s Law provides limited criminal immunity to an individual seeking help in the event of an overdose and the person experiencing the overdose. Make sure there is a person designated to seek help and that person stays alert.
    • Try to use only one substance at a time. Mixing substances (including alcohol) can produce stronger, unpredictable, and dangerous effects and may increase the risk of overdose.
    • Do a test dose. Start with a smaller dose, especially when using a new drug or getting your drug from a new source.
    • Use sterile supplies. Using sterile supplies (clean needles and cookers, sterile water, etc) to prepare and administer your drugs can help reduce risk of infection and contracting hepatitis or HIV. These supplies can be found at syringe exchange programs. Scan the code below for a list of local providers.
    • Smoke or snort instead of injecting. Injecting carries the highest risk for overdose, so shifting to snorting or smoking may help reduce risk. You can still OD by smoking/snorting, especially with fentanyl. So start slow.
    • Use slowly & carefully. Because fentanyl is so strong, a little goes a long way and overdose can occur quickly. Give yourself time between doses. Fentanyl acts fast but it’s different for everyone.

    Source: National Harm Reduction Coalition

  • FAQs

    Do the strips tell you how much fentanyl is present?
    No. Test strips do not tell any information about the percentages of fentanyl in drugs nor do they detect any other drugs. Fentanyl test strips will only tell you if the concentration of fentanyl or fentanyl analogues is greater than the threshold for giving a positive result.

    Is it true that these strips were designed for urine tests?
    Yes. Rapid Response Drug Test Strips are manufactured as urine tests, but have been used by harm reduction groups for years to test drug supplies before use and have been promoted by the manufacturer (BTNX Inc.) as an important tool in harm reduction strategies. Read more about how these strips have been proven to effectively reduce overdose risk:

    Does a negative result mean that I’m not at risk of an overdose?
    No. No test can be guaranteed as 100% accurate, and no drug is 100% safe. Even if a fentanyl test strip displays a negative test result, there is still a risk for overdose. There are many risk factors to experiencing an opioid overdose (i.e. mixing drugs, reduced tolerance, using alone, unknown products, physical and mental health, etc.). In addition, strips may not detect fentanyl if the sample is too watered down, or the drugs being tested may contain a fentanyl analogue that is not detected by the strips. (FentCheck)

    Is it possible for marijuana to be laced with fentanyl?
    There have been many accounts of both marijuana and other cannabinoid products being contaminated with fentanyl, but few confirmed reports. Unfortunately, any off-market product has the potential risk of contamination. At this time, there are no clear guidelines as to how FTS could be used to detect fentanyl in these substances. In absence of the option to test, people planning to use these substances should always use safer use strategies and have naloxone on hand.

    What is “Wooden Chest Syndrome”?
    Discovered during a study of opioids’ effects on the respiratory system in 1953 by Hamilton (MD) and Cullen (MD), wooden chest syndrome (WCS) is a rare condition that causes rigidity in skeletal muscles, making it hard for an individual to properly breathe. Exposure to intravenous fentanyl or other synthetic opioids poses a higher risk for developing WCS due to its high potency. Common physical signs of WCS are episodic “breath-holding spells,” tense abdominal muscles, a firmly locked jaw, and stiff extremities. In the most severe cases, an individual may not be able to breathe at all. 

    Naloxone may be able reverse the effects and stop wooden chest syndrome, however rescue breaths may not be enough to help the individual in distress; mechanical ventilation may be needed. Call 911 if you suspect that an individual is experiencing an overdose or WCS and administer naloxone right away.

Did you use your fentanyl test strips? Need more?

MN residents can receive no-cost FTS kits from SRHN and our community partners.

If you have previously used a kit, please let us know about your experience!

Take the Survey / Request a Kit

*This form is for individuals only. Organizations or groups seeking FTS should contact odp@rummlerhope.org.

Other Harm Reduction Resources

  • The Aliveness Project

     

    About: The Aliveness Project is a non-profit located in south Minneapolis that provides people living with HIV access to medical and social services. The Aliveness Project also has a mobile van that provides free HIV testing, safe injection supplies and needle disposal, naloxone, and fentanyl test strips.

    Programs/Services: Mobile Services, Syringe exchange and disposal, Narcan/naloxone (overdose reversal medication), Fentanyl Test Strips, HIV testing,  PrEP, and other member benefits like a Meal Program, Food Shelf, and Case Management.

    Website: https://aliveness.org/

  • Clinic 555

    About: Clinic 555 is a small and personal sexual and reproductive health clinic and syringe exchange located in downtown Saint Paul. Services range from low cost to free. They accept public insurance and some private insurances. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

    Programs/Services: Anonymous syringe exchange and disposal, Narcan/naloxone (overdose reversal medication), wound care, HIV and Hepatitis C testing, vaccinations, birth control and pregnancy testing, STD testing and treatment, PrEP, connection to community resources.

    Website: https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/health-medical/clinics-services/sexual-reproductive-health/syringe-exchange

  • Harm Reduction Sisters

    About: Harm Reduction Sisters provides a feminist response, utilizing innovative harm reduction principles and practices to address the gaps that exist for people who use drugs and experience trauma. Serving the Duluth area and across Northern Minnesota.

    Services/Programs: Mobile delivery with flexible schedule. Supplies provided: syringes, fentanyl test strips, naloxone, wound care kits, cookers, alcohol swabs, glass pipes, sharps containers, cottons, condoms, birth control pills & Plan B, sterile water.

    Website: https://harmreductionsisters.org/

     

     

     

  • Indigenous Peoples Task Force

    About: The Indigenous Peoples Task Force strengthens the wellness of our community in a way that is based in indigenous values and ways of knowing. IPTF’s comprehensive approach defies categorization and includes: Helping people live well with HIV and preventing further transmission of HIV, using cultural arts to support our youth, returning to first medicines, healing all of life by healing the water, and creating an urban sanctuary where body, mind, and spirit can become whole.

    Programs/Services: HIV Programs (testing, PrEP, housing, syringe exchange services, condom distribution), Youth Education, Tobacco Programs (culturally specific smoking cessation resources and support, youth education), Narcan distribution, sterile equipment (syringes, tourniquets, cottons, cookers, alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment, sterile water, condoms)

    Website: http://indigenouspeoplestf.org/

     

  • Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition

    About: The Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition is committed to improving health care access and the quality of health care received by trans and gender non-conforming people through education, resources, and advocacy. We are working for racial, social, and economic justice, and recognize that we are part of a multi-issue movement that includes gender liberation, as well as differences around race, class, age, sexuality, ability, immigrant status, and much more.

    Programs/Services: Shot clinic and syringe exchange (the syringe exchange is open to anyone who is an Injection Drug User, regardless of gender or drug of choice. You do NOT have to be trans identified to use the exchange), HIV/Hepatitis C testing and counseling, support groups, training for clinics and health care students on transgender basics and trans specific health concerns.

    Website: https://www.mntransgenderhealth.org/

     

  • National Harm Reduction Coalition

    About: The National Harm Reduction Coalition’s mission is to promote the health and dignity of individuals and communities affected by drug use. As a national advocacy and capacity building organization, we aim to shift power and resources to people most vulnerable to structural violence and racialized drug policies.

    Services/Programs: Overdose Prevention, Syringe Access Implementation, Training & Capacity Building, Policy & Advocacy, Online Resource Center.

    Website: https://harmreduction.org/

     

     

  • Native American Community Clinic (NACC)

    About: Native American Community Clinic is a FTCA deemed community health center. Their mission is to promote the health & wellness of mind, body, and spirit of Native American families. They provide quality care to all, regardless of ability to pay.

    Services/Programs: NACC offers a full range of healthcare services that include Medical, Behavioral Health, Dental, and Substance Abuse programs. MAT clinic, harm reduction services, IOP, peer recovery support, care coordination, resource navigation, HIV/Hep C testing, and much more.

    Website: https://nacc-healthcare.org/

  • Neighborhood HealthSource

    About: Neighborhood HealthSource is a group of non-profit primary care clinics serving North and Northeast Minneapolis and the northern suburbs. For people without insurance or who have trouble paying for healthcare, health centers like Neighborhood HealthSource are an affordable, accessible option.

    Services/Programs: MAT, naloxone trainings, therapy, telepsychiatry, substance use treatment, peer recovery coaching, primary and preventative care, cancer screening, chronic disease prevention and management, gender care, HIV care, sexual health care and more.

    Website: https://neighborhoodhealthsource.org/

  • NorthPoint

    About: NorthPoint’s In n’ Out Harm Reduction & Testing Services Program provides practical harm reduction strategies to mitigate and reduce the negative impact that drug use can cause to PWID in North Minneapolis.

    Services/Programs: HIV/HCV testing, safer injection education, overdose prevention education, naloxone, community resources and care linkage for HIV/HCV treatment and management, education on the prevention and transmission of HIV/HCV/STI, sterile syringes, wound care kits, cottons, cookers, sterile water, alcohol swabs, sharps containers, tourniquets, antibiotic ointment, fentanyl test strips, sharps containers and sharps disposal.

    Website: www.northpointhealth.org/harm-reduction-testing-services

  • Rural Aids Action Network (RAAN)

    About: Rural AIDS Action Network (RAAN) leads rural Minnesota in the fight to stop HIV through a broad array of client services, risk reduction, advocacy and awareness.

    Services/Programs: Syringe Exchanges, HIV & Hepatitis C Testing, Medical Case Management, Narcan Training & Distribution, Food Voucher/Nutrition Program, Transportation Assistance, Support Groups, Outreach and Education, MNsure Navigator Services

    Website: https://raan.org/

  • Rainbow Health

    About: Rainbow Health (formerly JustUs Health) provides comprehensive health services for LGBTQIA+ people, people living with HIV, and folks from underserved communities. Rainbow Health advocates for health equity for those who experience injustice at the intersection of health status and identity.

    Services/Programs: Syringe exchange, HIV testing and prevention, case management, peer support, group therapy, chemical health, assistance (housing, transportation, health insurance, financial, legal services), advocacy.

    Website: https://rainbowhealth.org/

  • Red Door Clinic

    About: Red Door is the largest HIV and STD clinic in Minnesota and a landmark for health care services in Hennepin County. They provide a supportive and welcoming place where you can get the information and services you need without feeling judged.

    Services/Programs: Needle exchange, STD testing, HIV prevention & testing, HIV support groups, Narcan, birth control, condoms, MNSure assistance, COVID-19 vaccinations.

    Website: https://www.reddoorclinic.org/

  • Southside Harm Reduction Services

    About: SHRS believes in the right to health, safety and autonomy. They work to protect these rights among people who use substances. They facilitate conversations in communities about substance use and promote harm reduction principles.

    Services/Programs: New/sterile syringes, cottons, cookers, other necessary equipment, naloxone, fentanyl test strips, health and safety information for people who use drugs, referrals and recommendations for other resources and community organizations

    Website: https://southsideharmreduction.org/

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