# The STRIP Act: Making Fentanyl Test Strips Legal

Right now, if you possess, sell, or buy fentanyl test strips—small strips that detect whether drugs contain fentanyl—you can face criminal charges under federal drug laws. The STRIP Act would change that by making it legal to own, sell, or purchase these testing strips without fear of prosecution.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that's increasingly mixed into other drugs like heroin, cocaine, and counterfeit pills, often without users knowing. Even tiny amounts can be lethal. Test strips work like pregnancy tests—you dip them in a drug sample to see if fentanyl is present. The idea behind this bill is that if people can test their drugs before using them, they can make safer choices and avoid accidental overdoses. Right now, some people avoid carrying these strips because they worry about legal trouble, even though the strips themselves don't contain illegal drugs.

This bill has bipartisan support from lawmakers who view it as a harm-reduction strategy—a public health approach focused on keeping people alive rather than punishing them. It wouldn't legalize fentanyl or other drugs; it would only protect the testing equipment itself from criminal penalties. Supporters argue this is similar to how needle exchange programs work—providing tools to reduce the dangers of drug use without endorsing drug use itself. The bill would essentially tell law enforcement that possessing or distributing fentanyl test strips is no longer a crime.

STRIP Act

Crockett, Jasmine

Secure Testing Resources Instead of Prosecuting Act or the STRIP Act This bill exempts the possession, sale, or purchase of fentanyl drug testing equipment, including test strips, from criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act.