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H 1955

An Act relative to fentanyl test strips

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Chris Hendricks and 4 co-sponsors

Massachusetts bill legalizes fentanyl test strips to help people detect drug contamination and prevent overdose deaths through harm reduction.

Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
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Bill Summary · H 1955

Legislative bill overview

H 1955 proposes to legalize and regulate fentanyl test strips in Massachusetts, allowing their distribution and use to detect the presence of fentanyl in drug supplies. The bill aims to reduce overdose deaths by enabling people who use drugs to identify contaminated substances before consumption, a harm reduction strategy already adopted in several other states.

Why is this important

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50-100 times more potent than morphine and is the leading driver of overdose deaths in the United States. Test strips are inexpensive tools that can identify fentanyl presence in street drugs, potentially preventing fatal overdoses. Massachusetts has among the highest opioid overdose death rates nationally, making this a significant public health intervention.

Potential points of contention

  • Enabling drug use concerns: Critics argue that test strips may be perceived as enabling or facilitating illegal drug use rather than encouraging treatment-seeking behavior
  • Legal liability and accessibility: Questions about who can legally distribute strips, whether they should be available at pharmacies, syringe service programs, or other venues, and protections for distributors
  • Drug testing accuracy and false confidence: Debate over whether users might rely too heavily on negative results or misuse strips, and whether this diverts resources from treatment and recovery programs

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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