Statewide Iowa — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says the rapid increase in fentanyl-related deaths needs to be addressed with the legalization of fentanyl test strips.
Miller is a Democrat and says there should also be expanded use of naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose. Miller was joined by fellow Democrat and Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald says fentanyl test strips detect the presence of the drug and can help save lives.
Miller also urges people to seek treatment for their drug addiction. Miller says he talked with a few legislative leaders this past session about trying to make the fentanyl test strips legal.
Miller plans to run for re-election and says he hopes this will be a bipartisan issue. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds hosted a news conference about two weeks ago with authorities from the Department of Public Safety to talk about the dangers of fentanyl-laced pills. Reynolds did not talk about any specific legislation to address the issue, but she was critical of the Biden Administration’s border policy; saying it is part of the reason the dangerous pills have become so prevalent in the United States.
