Under an executive order, Governor DeWine has allowed the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to remove fentanyl test strips and reagent kits from under the umbrella of drug paraphernalia in Ohio.

In addition to fentanyl, the new rule also exempts tests for the following drugs: Xylazine; Medetomidine; Benzimidazole-opioids (commonly referred to as nitazenes); Benzodiazepine and benzodiazepine-related compounds.

These test kits are often used to determine whether drugs are laced with fentanyl or other compounds that may cause an overdose. Reagent kits, in specific, will visibly react to illicit drugs by changing colors. Governor DeWine said in a statement that access to test kits significantly lowers overdose fatalities among drug-users.

"We are removing barriers for communities to access tools that

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