While Colorado lawmakers debate a bill that would increase criminal penalties for possessing the deadly drug, a city of Denver program offering free fentanyl testing strips and the overdose-reversing medication naxolone to residents is working to catch up with demand.
“We’re overwhelmed (in a good way!) with the number of people requesting free Naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to keep themselves and their loved ones safe,” the city’s overdose prevention website read on Thursday. “Due to the increase in requests, shipments are taking longer than usual to deliver. We appreciate your patience.”
That site links to a request form for the supplies. The bill being debated at the statehouse also includes funding for more test strips and anti-overdose medication.
The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment is working through a backlog of roughly 3,500 orders that started with a surge in demand in February, spokeswoman Courtney Meihls said this week. Supply shortages contributed to that bottleneck but have since been cleared up and deliveries are outpacing new orders.
“Now that we’re receiving shipments, things are moving more quickly. We expect to be through the backlog in the next few weeks,” Meihls said. “After that, residents should expect to receive their order within one to two weeks, so long as we continue to receive our shipments from our distributor on time.”
The program launched in September. Over its first 4.5 months, Denver residents requested roughly 500 packages. Since mid-February, the program has seen more than 4,700 orders including 2,800 in just 24 hours near the end of that month, Meihls said.
That surge came around the time five friends were found dead in a Commerce City apartment from fentanyl overdoses. Law enforcement officials say the group thought they were using cocaine.
For those seeking to obtain naxolone more quickly, the city is directing people to a map of pharmacies that will provide the medication, commonly seen under the brand name Narcan, without a prescription. The map is available at stoptheclockcolorado.org. The medication is covered by most insurances providers, Meihls said. The health department also has an RV, the “Wellness Winnie” that makes weekly trips through under-resourced parts of the city providing naloxone, behavioral health services and other support for free.
At least 900 people died of fentanyl overdoses in Colorado last year. That’s a 67% increase over the 540 fentanyl overdoses confirmed in 2020, state health department statistics show.
Lisa Raville, executive director of Denver’s Harm Reduction Action Center, called the situation “the worst overdose crisis we have ever been in.” A fact sheet the organization released last month explains that fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin. It is often found mixed in with other substances including meth and cocaine or pressed into pill form to resemble prescription painkillers. Its effects are fast-acting and unpredictable.
The action center works with between 100 and 150 people who use drugs each morning, offering clean syringes, pipes and support resources, according to its website. It has been providing naxolone to its clients since 2012. Raville calls them the true first responders in the overdose crisis. The center has been providing testing strips since 2018.
“Having DDPHE send out Narcan and fentanyl testing strips is key,” Raville said of the city’s program. “It’s important that anyone walking on earth or in Denver carries Narcan and tests their drugs before they use.”
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