Wisconsin Lawmakers Approve Legislation They Hope Will Help Those Suffering From Drug Addiction

Thursday, January 27th, 2022 -- 10:01 AM

(WBAY) Wisconsin state lawmakers voted Tuesday afternoon on legislation being seen as a big step in helping people deal with drug addiction and move closer to treatment and recovery.

It’s related to the surge in overdoses and their link to fentanyl that we’ve been reporting on for months. Tuesday, both the Senate and Assembly passed bills that would decriminalize fentanyl test strips.

They’re thin strips, dipped into a mixture of a small amount of water and a small amount of a drug a person is about to take. In about one minute, the test strip will form a line indicating if the highly dangerous and potentially deadly drug, fentanyl, is mixed with the drug they’re about to take.

The test strips are viewed as a life-saving tool, but until a law changes, they’re still illegal in Wisconsin because they’re considered drug paraphernalia. Possessing them could mean being charged with a crime. Those who help people battling addiction don’t think that’s right.

The bill, which has had bipartisan support since being proposed, now heads to the governor who has the final say in officially decriminalizing the possession of fentanyl test strips.

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