Birmingham pub still giving away fentanyl testing strips

1 year ago 38

ALL RIGHT. SO WE’LL KEEP YOU POSTED IF ANY DECISION DOES COME FROM LISEY’S STORY. WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS NOW? DAVE’S PUB IN BIRMINGHAM HELPING TO FIGHT AGAINST THE FENTANYL CRISIS AND THEY’VE BEEN GIVING OUT FREE TEST STRIPS. WVTM 13 JARVIS ROBERTSON JOINING US LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM TONIGHT. THEY’VE GIVEN OUT A LOT OF THESE RIGHT? JARVIS? YEAH. YOU AND I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH THE OWNER, JOHN PARKER. HE SAYS THAT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY APPROACHED HIM ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNE GETTING THESE FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS COULD MEAN LIFE OR DEATH FOR ANYONE. FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. THAT’S HOW LONG JOHN PARKER HAS BEEN IN PLACING FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS INSIDE THE RESTROOMS OF HIS BAR, DAVE’S PUB. I ASKED IF PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY USING THEM. YEAH, WE’VE GONE THROUGH ABOUT 200. IT’S COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS FOR A PERSON TO GRAB ONE. JUST TAKE IT FROM THE RESTROOM. WE DIDN’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ILLICIT DRUG USE AT THE SPA. PREVIOUS TO IT, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A WAY TO HELP THIS. THIS PROBLEM. PARKER SAYS HIS PUMP DOESN’T PROMOTE DRUG USE, HOWEVER, HE HOPES TO REMOVE THE STIGMA SO MORE LIVES CAN BE SAVED. EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO’S PROBABLY OVERDOSED, OR AT LEAST TWO DEGREES OF SEPARATION FROM SOMEBODY. THE REASON THEY ARE PROVIDING THE FENTANYL TEST STRIPS FREE OF CHARGE IS BECAUSE THE JEFFERSON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT APPROACHED HIM ABOUT IT RECENTLY. HIS STAFF WENT THROUGH TRAINING ON HOW TO USE NARCAN. THEY CURRENTLY KEEPING OVERDOSE KIT BEHIND THE BAR WITH ITEMS TO HELP KEEP SOMEONE ALIVE IF THEY’VE COME IN CONTACT WITH FENTANYL. I ASKED HOW THE TRAINING WENT. WHAT INDICATORS ARE OF AN OVERDOSE? THINGS LIKE THAT. AND YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY SIMPLE. I DON’T THINK IT TOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, 30 MINUTES. I WOULD JUST RATHER PEOPLE NOT DIE. SO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY CORONER’S OFFICE SAYS THAT THEY HAVE CERTIFIED 64 DRUG DEATHS. SO FAR IN 2023, 48 OF THOSE ARE FENTANYL RELATED. AS FOR THESE FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS, THEY ONLY COST $0.50 EACH. REPORTING BY IF YOU’RE IN BIRMINGHAM, I’M JERV

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Birmingham pub still giving away fentanyl testing strips

The fentanyl crisis has torn many families apart, causing grief and pain. Federal and local governments, and many organizations are working to stop it.Dave's Pub in Birmingham has been giving away free fentanyl testing strips for months.The owner, John Parker, says it's all about saving lives. The pub doesn't promote drug usage. He feels people are going to do whatever they want, so having a safety measure in place to help save lives is the goal.Two hundred testing strips have been given out so far. They are placed in each of the restrooms on the sink countertops. Parkers gives credit to the Jefferson County Health Department. He says officials approached him with the idea of offering fentanyl testing strips. The pub's staff has also completed training in administering Narcan.Narcan is a nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdose.Watch the video to learn more about how Dave's Pub is taking aim at changing the stigma surrounding fentanyl in order to save lives.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

The fentanyl crisis has torn many families apart, causing grief and pain. Federal and local governments, and many organizations are working to stop it.

Dave's Pub in Birmingham has been giving away free fentanyl testing strips for months.

The owner, John Parker, says it's all about saving lives. The pub doesn't promote drug usage. He feels people are going to do whatever they want, so having a safety measure in place to help save lives is the goal.

Two hundred testing strips have been given out so far. They are placed in each of the restrooms on the sink countertops.

Parkers gives credit to the Jefferson County Health Department. He says officials approached him with the idea of offering fentanyl testing strips. The pub's staff has also completed training in administering Narcan.

Narcan is a nasal spray used to reverse opioid overdose.

Watch the video to learn more about how Dave's Pub is taking aim at changing the stigma surrounding fentanyl in order to save lives.

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