Fentanyl test strips would be legalized under a bill advancing in the Iowa House.
The strips are pieces of paper which can detect the presence of fentanyl in drugs like methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. They can also test drugs in different forms, such as pills, powder and injectables.
Former Marshalltown Police Chief Michael Tupper says making these testing products legal could “save lives.”
“I've learned that we cannot arrest our way out of these problems. We need to find other ways to mitigate the dangerous effects of drugs in our communities. Harm reduction programs like this are great efforts to enhance public safety in our communities.”
The bill would also make other drug-checking products legal, like Xylazine test strips or materials for detecting date rape drugs.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety is registered as undecided, but says legalizing the drug-testing materials could provide a “false sense of security” and enable the cycle of addiction rather than disrupt it.