>> IN OTHER NEWS, THE SCOURGE,
TRAUMA AND COST OF DRUG OVERDOSE
DEATHS IN WISCONSIN PROMPTED THE
PASS ANGPASSAGE OF A NEW STATE S
MONTH THAT LEGALIZES A SCREENING
TEST FORMERLY CONSIDERED ILLEGAL
DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.
THE TESTS ARE DESIGNED TO DETECT
THE DEADLY ADDITIVE FENTANYL,
AND IN MILWAUKEE, FOR THOSE IN
PUBLIC HEALTH, THEIR NEW LEGAL
USE IS HEAVEN-SENT.
>> IT'S A BLESSING.
IT IS A BLESSING THAT THESE ARE
NOW LEGAL.
>> RAFAEL MERCADO IS A COMMUNITY
OUTREACH WORKER.
>> WHAT I DO IS WE COME OUT AND
I HAVE PACKAGES SIMILAR TO THIS,
AND WE HAND THEM OUT.
>> WHO DISTRIBUTES FENTANYL TEST
STRIPS IN MILWAUKEE, INCLUDING
TO PEOPLE IN HIS OWN
NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE SOUTH SIDE
OF THE CITY.
>> TAKE IT OUT, IF YOU USE THE
DRUG, TEST IT, DROP IT IN THE
URINE, AND JUST LIKE A PREGNANCY
TEST.
IT WILL GIVE YOU ONE LINE, TWO
LINES, AND THEN ONE THAT WILL BE
HIGHER.
>> MERCADO LIVES IN THE HOT SPOT
FOR OVERDOSE DEATHS IN MILWAUKEE
COUNTY.
A COUNTY THAT SAW MORE THAN
7,000 O.D.s IN 2021, MORE THAN
600 OF THEM FATAL.
80% OF OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE
CAUSED BY FENTANYL, A POWERFUL
OPIOID MIXED INTO OTHER DRUGS BY
DEALERS TO INCREASE POTENCY, AND
THAT EVEN IN TRACE AMOUNTS CAN
BE DEADLY.
>> THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO KILL
THEIR SELVES.
THEY'RE TRYING TO MASK A PAIN.
>> THE PROBLEM IS SO COMMONPLACE
THAT EVEN AS WE TALKED TO
MERCADO OUTSIDE THE 16TH STREET
CLINIC IN MILWAUKEE, A PERSON
OVERDOSED DOWN THE BLOCK.
PARAMEDICS REVIVED HIM.
>> THE OVERDOSE DEATHS HAVE
INCREASED FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN A
ROW WHERE WE'VE HAD A NEW
RECORD.
SO WE ARE JUST AT UNPRECEDENTED
NUMBERS.
>> MICHAEL LAPPEN IS
ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE MILWAUKEE
COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
DIVISION.
>> I SAID YOU'RE GOOD TO WALK.
>> PARTNERS WITH MERCADO WHO
HITS THE STREETS.
>> YOU DIP IT IN, WAIT ABOUT
FIVE MINUTES.
SO IF YOU GET TWO LINES, IT'S A
NEGATIVE.
ONE, THE HIGH IS POSITIVE.
>> THEY JUST GOT ME HANDING OUT
MORE FENTANYL STRIPS.
I'M HANDING OUT MORE OF THEM
FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS.
>> MERCADO SAYS THE IDEA FOR
PEOPLE TO USE VERY SMALL AMOUNTS
OF THEIR HEROIN, TEST, AND HAVE
THE EMERGENCY O.D. REVIVING
SPRAY NARCAN AT THE READY.
AND SO HOW IMPORTANT IS THE
LEGALIZATION OF THESE FENTANYL
TEST STRIPS?
>> WELL, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO MAKE
INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT
THEY'RE INGESTING.
SO IF SOMEONE TESTS THEIR DRUGS
AND THEY IDENTIFY FENTANYL, THEY
KNOW PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE
NALOXONE OR NARCAN AVAILABLE.
MAYBE THEY USE WITH A PARTNER SO
THEY CAN KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE.
MAYBE THEY REDUCE THEIR DOSAGE,
AND MAYBE THEY DON'T USE IT AT
ALL.
>> AS AN AMBULANCE TEARS AWAY,
CARRYING AN O.D. VICTIM, WHAT
ABOUT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER
HANDING OUT PACKAGES OF TEST
STRIPS AND NARCAN ENCOURAGES
DRUG USE?
>> WELL, PEOPLE SAY THAT.
YOU KNOW, FOLKS HAVE SAID THAT
ALL THESE HARM REDUCTION
INITIATIVES JUST ENABLE DRUG
USE.
I COMPLETELY DISAGREE.
I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING
IS WE'RE MAINTAINING SAFETY,
KEEPING PEOPLE ALIVE LONG ENOUGH
FOR THEM TO GET INTO RECOVERY.
>> WISCONSIN LEGALIZED FENTANYL
TEST STRIPS IN MID MARCH, BEFORE
THE LAW CHANGED, THEY WERE
ILLEGAL.
CONSIDERED DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY STARTED
DISTRIBUTING 1600 OF THEM, WITH
MORE TO COME.
>> THE THEME IS, WHATEVER WE CAN
DO TO KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE, WE WANT
TO DO THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR A
MOM TO HAVE TO BURY THEIR SON OR
DAUGHTER OR LOVED ONE, THEIR
HUSBAND?