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House approves bill allowing drug‑testing strips and equipment to detect adulterants
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 6 to allow public sale and use of testing equipment (including fentanyl strips) and to prevent possession of those tools from being treated as drug paraphernalia, lawmakers said. Supporters characterized the bill as a harm‑reduction tool to prevent fatal overdoses.
The Georgia House on March 19 approved Senate Bill 6, which authorizes public sale and use of testing equipment intended to detect fentanyl and other lethal adulterants and shields such equipment from prosecution as drug paraphernalia.
Representative Sharon Cooper, presenting the bill, said the strips — commonly called fentanyl strips — and newer testing devices can identify whether an illegal drug contains fentanyl or other deadly adulterants and thus may prevent overdoses. Cooper told colleagues the devices should be available to the public and that possession of the devices “would not be considered drug paraphernalia.”
“As long as somebody is alive, we have a chance of helping them overcome an addiction. When they’re dead, there is no hope,” Cooper said.
Supporters described the measure as providing another tool for preventing overdose deaths. The bill drew little floor opposition during debate and carried bipartisan support during questions. The House recorded the passage with the tally yeas 170, nays 0.
The bill’s language, as read on the floor, amends Code Section 26‑3‑22 (laws unaffected by the Georgia Drug and Cosmetic Act) to authorize approved testing equipment for controlled substances and to clarify that possession of such equipment is not a criminal paraphernalia offense.
No implementation timetable or budgetary appropriation was discussed during floor debate. Lawmakers said the measure was requested to equip Georgians with tools to reduce unintentional overdose fatalities.
Votes at a glance: Senate Bill 6 — Passed, yeas 170, nays 0.
