Milwaukee City Wire

Officials at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services are taking drastic measures to curtail the rising number of fentanyl-related drug overdose deaths occurring across the state.

Authorities are encouraging residents to utilize recently legalized fentanyl test strips before consuming any drugs, according to FOX 11. These actions are part of the state's current public health advisory, as such deaths increased by 97% over the last two years.

State officials legalized use of the test strips in March, FOX 11 reported. They remain illegal in 19 states based on old drug paraphernalia laws. The strips work by testing any product for the presence of fentanyl. Results are available as quickly as 15 seconds after exposure to the product.

"I think that it is definitely alarming, and it really only shows a small picture of the real reality out there," Ben Bruso, a supervisor at Vivent Health, said of the growing crisis. "It just speaks to the need for more harm reduction support as far as making sure people have access to these strips and Narcan is available in all places."

Many overdose deaths were traced back to drugs mixed with fentanyl, according to FOX 11. The synthetic substance is much stronger than heroin or morphine. It is often mixed with drugs such as cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamines to increase potency and/or decrease costs for manufacturers and dealers.

Officials in Wisconsin will invest approximately $2 million to make the test strips more widely available, FOX 11 reported. Vivent Health distributed approximately 46,000 fentanyl tests across the state last year, including 7,322 in Appleton and 6,218 in Green Bay.

"I think, regardless, people are using drugs and we accept that as part of our society," Bruso said. "We're here just to ensure people can reduce harm so that when they do make it to sobriety or reduced use, there is less harm caused. Folks can't recover if they're passed away, so we just have to keep them safe now."