Test strip guide
TEST STRIP GUIDE
Fentanyl | Xylazine | Medetomidine
Do not dip the strip above the solid line. Only dip the strip for 15 seconds.
Reading Results
(+) POS — Contains substance
(-) NEG — Substance not detected
Faint second red line is still considered negative.
TREATMENT
DBHIDS Behavioral Health Special Initiative
If you do not have insurance and live in Philly
215-546-1200
Community Behavioral Health (CBH)
If you have Philly insurance
888-545-2600
Find more treatment options at:
SubstanceUsePhilly.com/treatment
RESOURCES & SERVICES
Get Free Narcan & Test Strips at:
SubstanceUsePhilly.com/get-supplies
Learn about the drug supply at:
SubstanceUsePhilly.com/drugsupply
Watch how to use a test strip:
SubstanceUsePhilly.com/get-supplies#TestStripTutorial
Learn how to respond to an overdose:
SubstanceUsePhilly.com/get-supplies#ODResponse
Get Safer Use Supplies at:
Prevention Point
2913-15 Kensington Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19134
ppponline.org
Using Alone? Anonymously connect with a peer:
Never Use Alone Hotline — 877-696-1996
SafeSpot Hotline — 800-972-0590
1. Preparing Substance
How to test pills and powder:
Crush the pill into powder or cut the pill in half and scrape from the middle. Use about 10mg for the test.
How to test crystals:
Crush the shards as much as possible. Do not use any shards. Use about 10mg for the test.
NOTE: Read the instructions on the test strip package. The following vary by manufacturer:
The amount of substance needed to show an accurate result
Factors that can cause false positive or false negative results
Medetomidine and xylazine are not opioids but are usually found in combination.
Check expiration date. If they expired, you can't use them.
True to size microscoop (10mg)
2. Using Test Strip
Mix 5 cc (1 tsp or 1 bottlecap) of clean water with a microscoop (10mg) of the drug or residue in the empty cooker or baggie.
Dip the wavy-line end of the test strip in water for 15 seconds. Don't pass the solid black line.
Remove the test strip and lay it on a flat surface. Results are ready in 1–2 minutes.
3. Reading Results
One red line = Positive for substance.
Two red lines = Negative for substance.
If the second line (closest to the white end) is faint, it is negative for the substance. Read the test strip result in a strong light.
Test is invalid if:
the test has no red lines, OR
the red line closest to the solid black end is missing.
If using, try a small amount first and go slow.
⚠️ Test strips are a good tool, but not 100% accurate. The substance may still be present even if the test is negative.
The Chocolate Chip Cookie Effect
An adulterant, when present, is never evenly distributed in a batch of drugs. It tends to be concentrated in one or several parts of a sample — like chocolate chips in a cookie.
Learning to test drug samples correctly can help you be more sure it doesn't contain the adulterant. Make sure what you are testing is mixed more evenly.
(Illustration: cookie with chocolate chips → "No chocolate"; molecule diagram → "No adulterant")