New York State has distributed 20 million fentanyl and xylazine test strips statewide in an effort to address the ongoing opioid and overdose crisis.

State officials say the efforts and other initiates "are making an impact to help prevent drug overdoses, save lives, and address the opioid and overdose crisis."

“Even one life lost to an overdose is too many – and it’s a story we have heard too often in New York and across the nation,” Governor Kathy Hochul said.

“Our work is far from over, and we’ll continue delivering the resources and services needed to address this crisis and help New Yorkers struggling with addiction.”

Officials say the state has had the largest response to opioid overdoses in the nation.

Last year, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) developed the first in the nation online ordering portal where naloxone kits and test strips can be ordered by any New York State resident who requests them, officials say.

New York State has now distributed more than 11.6 million fentanyl test strips and more than 8.6 million xylazine test strips, as well as nearly 700,000 naloxone kits through both OASAS and State DOH.

All test strips and kits are free of charge.

"The OASAS initiative augments the State Department of Health's opioid overdose prevention program, which was launched in 2006. There are now more than 1,300 registered programs with 5,423 sites located throughout the State – and 47 new opioid overdose prevention programs were approved in 2024 alone. Additional state actions to reduce overdose deaths include expanding medication treatment through opioid treatment programs, mobile medication units, treatment in carceral settings, and low-threshold buprenorphine," state officials say.

New York State also offers virtual naloxone trainings and overdose prevention trainings under the State Department of Health’s Clinical Education Initiative (CEI) initiative to help members of the public understand how to recognize an overdose, respond by administering naloxone, and what to do after naloxone is given.

The Project COPE initiative through OASAS also offers videos with instructions on how to use naloxone and test strips, as well as other information on overdose prevention and harm reduction.

For more information about online training available, visit oasas.ny.gov/search/events.

To learn more about Project COPE, visit oasas.ny.gov/projectcope.

To order free test strips, visit forms.ny.gov/s3/Harm-Reduction-Order-Form