Indianapolis nonprofit's drug safety campaign removed from Facebook

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana-based organization Overdose Lifeline launched a video campaign to make fentanyl test strips more accessible to Generation Z. Meta has removed it from Facebook, the nonprofit said.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be used for medical purposes but is increasingly being mixed into street drugs. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, it is about 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.

When mixed with other drugs, it can increase their effectiveness by a hundredfold and if ingested, just two milligrams can be fatal.

“People overdose and die without knowing it’s possible,” said Justin Phillips, CEO and founder of Overdose Lifeline.

This is where fentanyl test strips come into play.

The strips resemble a pH strip and can determine within seconds whether fentanyl is present.

The test strips work by mixing at least half a teaspoon of water with a small amount of the drug and adding it to the mixture. If the test is positive for fentanyl, one red line will appear. If the test is negative, two lines will appear. When testing pills, Phillips also recommends testing more than one.

“If fentanyl is detected, you can make a different decision,” Phillips said.

Phillips said Generation Z suffers the most from undetected fentanyl, which leads to fatal overdoses. She and her team hope to raise awareness about fentanyl test strips with the “Strip the Shame” campaign.

To create the campaign, they worked with a creative team and Gen Z influencers to put together a gift that highlights the safety the strips provide and reduces shame associated with safe drug use.

“With this test, you'll know what's in your substance,” says the campaign video. “No guessing. No hoping. No fear. So why are we all still afraid to talk about it? It's time to get rid of the shame.”

The video was posted on multiple platforms, reached over 30 million views in about three days, and was reposted by Jamie Lee Curtis.

It was subsequently removed from Facebook by Meta.

As part of the removal, the nonprofit received a notification that the page was removed because it was deemed spam. “We do not allow anyone to share or send anything that contains misleading links or content,” the message said.

Phillips and her team believe the post was likely reported by people who may not understand their goal: to prevent overdoses by promoting safe drug use.

“We promote safe drug use because we are realistic that people use drugs,” Phillips said.

News 8 reached out to Meta for comment but did not receive a response from the technology company.

Although the post has been removed, Phillips and her team hope their message is heard and encourage anyone who wants more information to visit their site.

Fentanyl test strips remain available in several of their nalox boxes located across the state.