Samhsa Halts Federal Funding for $1 Fentanyl Test Strips as States Pause Distribution
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 12
Samhsa Halts Federal Funding for $1 Fentanyl Test Strips as States Pause Distribution
6 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 12
An April Samhsa letter ordered grant recipients to stop using federal funds for all drug-testing strips, including fentanyl, xylazine and medetomidine, reversing a policy first allowed in 2021.
The agency said the strips facilitate illicit drug use and conflict with federal law, but harm-reduction groups said the move will cut access to overdose-prevention tools as the street drug supply grows more volatile.
Some states have already paused statewide purchases, while Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition was told it would lose a $400,000 federal grant after distributing nearly 50,000 fentanyl strips in the year's first three months.
The shift clashes with the White House's drug strategy published last week, which called rapid test strips an important legal tool, and with a December law Trump signed backing access through state and tribal opioid grants.
The funding cut lands after US overdose deaths fell 26% from 2023 to 2024, even as roughly 80,000 people still die annually and Samhsa has cut $350 million in addiction and overdose-prevention funding.
With federal agencies at odds over test strips, how can communities effectively prevent overdose deaths?
As the deadly sedative medetomidine surges, why is a primary detection tool being federally defunded?
Does providing safety tools for drug use save lives or simply enable a cycle of addiction?
U.S. Federal Funding Cuts for Fentanyl Test Strips Endanger Harm Reduction and Overdose Decline
Overview
In April 2026, SAMHSA issued new guidance that marked a major federal policy reversal by explicitly prohibiting the use of federal funds for fentanyl test strips and other essential harm reduction supplies. This sharp departure from the previous administration’s support for harm reduction highlights growing tension over how to address the overdose crisis. The updated directive also removed food from eligible funding, signaling a tightening of federal support for harm reduction programs. These changes, combined with significant funding cuts since the Trump administration, are expected to disrupt services and increase risks for people who use drugs.