Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto Signs Executive Order Allowing Fentanyl Test Strips
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto signed an executive order Tuesday allowing the possession and use of fentanyl test strips.
The City of Pittsburgh is adopting a policy to not arrest people who have or distribute fentanyl test strips for harm reduction purposes.
The Mayor's Office says fentanyl test strips have been proven to prevent overdoses by allowing users to identify the presence of fentanyl in drugs.
Pointing to a recent study from the City of Pittsburgh Office of Community Health and Safety, the Mayor's Office says there's been an increased presence of fentanyl in drugs like heroin, cocaine and meth in the greater Pittsburgh area.
"While fentanyl has been present in the heroin supply for several years in this region, there are increasing reports of other, non-opioid drugs that have been cut with or contaminated by fentanyl," the report says.
Peduto signed the order on Overdose Awareness Day.
