LOS ANGELES — County Supervisor Janice Hahn March 12 announced that her office has purchased and distributed 3,600 innovative detection devices that detect the presence of fentanyl in recreational drugs with the goal of better preventing fentanyl poisonings. In 2023, 94% of opioid overdoses deaths in LA County involved fentanyl. That same year, overdoses were the leading cause of death among unhoused people in LA County and fentanyl poisonings have been a growing danger for young people.
“Fighting fentanyl poisonings is about saving lives, so we have to put every possible tool at the disposal of our residents and our communities. These testing devices are both innovative and easy-to-use. I look forward to getting these thousands of devices into the hands of people whose lives could be saved by them,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We need to outmaneuver this crisis and this effort is part of the solution along with our work to make Narcan more easily available.”
Hahn’s office purchased the devices and distributed them this week to nine different sites across her district including community colleges and organizations that provide services to unhoused and other vulnerable residents.
The purchased devices are the DEFENT ONE All-in-One Fentanyl Detection Devices manufactured by the medical diagnostics company Defense Diagnostics Inc. (DDI). DEFENT ONE is a single-use portable device small enough to fit in a pocket that contains all of the materials necessary to conduct a fentanyl detection test, unlike other methods which require clean water and a separate container.
Hahn’s office distributed devices to the following local partners which will provide them to community members free-of-charge:
Harbor Interfaith Services
Rio Hondo College
Cerritos College
Harbor College
Whittier First Day
Whittier LGBTQ Center
Salvation Army Bell Shelter
Long Beach Community College
San Pedro Recovery Alliance
Hahn previously led an effort to stock LA County Library locations with naloxone, also known as Narcan, the life-saving antidote to fentanyl poisoning and opioid overdose. LA County libraries have also offered free Narcan trainings.