Do State and Local Policies Surrounding Fentanyl Test Strips Impact Overdose Deaths?

Linnea Endersby (), Matthew Harris and Lawrence Kessler ()
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Linnea Endersby: Department of Economics, University of Tennessee, https://haslam.utk.edu/people/profile/linnea-endersby
Matthew Harris: Department of Economics, University of Tennessee, https://haslam.utk.edu/people/profile/matthew-harris/
Lawrence Kessler: Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, University of Tennessee, https://haslam.utk.edu/people/profile/larry-kessler/

No 2026-01, Working Papers from University of Tennessee, Department of Economics

Abstract: We examine the effects of legalizing fentanyl test strips (FTS), which identify the presence of fentanyl in recreational drugs, on overdose deaths. Using difference-in-differences methods, we find that purely increasing de jure access to fentanyl test strips (FTS), which can reduce information asymmetries regarding drug contents, had little effect on overdose mortality. We then examine the effects of multi-dimensional community-based interventions aimed at increasing de facto access to FTS and other harm reduction resources. These hands-on approaches were more effective in reducing overdose deaths. Together, these findings suggest that FTS are used at sub-optimal levels, and more active efforts to distribute them could reduce overdoses.

Keywords: Opioids; Fentanyl; Overdoses; Harm Reduction; Difference-in-Differences; Synthetic Control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D62 H41 H75 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 40 pages
Date: 2026-07
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ten:wpaper:2026-01

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