A new federal policy shift is changing how overdose prevention tools can be funded across the country. The Trump administration has ended the use of federal grant money for purchasing or distributing drug test strips designed to detect fentanyl and other dangerous additives in street drugs. The move reverses a practice first approved in 2021 and signals a broader retreat from harm reduction strategies that had expanded during recent years.
In an open letter to grant recipients, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said the strips are no longer eligible for funding because they are “intended for use by people using drugs.” While community groups and outreach programs will lose access to those funds for public distribution, officials said test strips can still be purchased with federal dollars for use by public health staff, law enforcement, medical personnel, and other professionals.
The strips, which often cost about $1 each, can identify fentanyl as well as other substances such as xylazine and medetomidine. Supporters say they have helped reduce overdose deaths by giving users a chance to avoid contaminated drugs. Many states previously legalized the strips as overdose fatalities surged nationwide.
The administration has made clear it wants to move away from harm reduction and focus instead on treatment and abstinence-centered recovery efforts. In a statement, officials said, “To finally bring an end to this crisis and achieve the Great American Recovery, it is essential that the use of federal funding is aligned to common-sense public health strategies that focus on prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery.”
Officials also described harm reduction as “an ideological concept … which has been used to advocate for policies that are incompatible with federal laws and inconsistent with this Administration’s priorities.”
Federal officials encouraged grantees to prioritize naloxone, sharps disposal kits, and testing or vaccination programs for infectious diseases including HIV and hepatitis.
