Northwestern’s Health Promotion and Wellness department ran out of fentanyl test strips for students on May 13, one week before Saturday’s Dillo Day, according to Lesli Vipond, HPaW’s assistant director of substance misuse prevention.

Mayfest Productions partnered with HPaW, to provide free test strips during Dillo Day wristband pickup hours in an effort to mitigate substance abuse risks during the annual student-run festival. Mayfest and HPaW distributed 500 test strips before running out, Vipond said.

HPaW is reaching out to the Chicago Recovery Alliance, a nonprofit focused on reducing drug-related harm, to acquire more test strips, Vipond said. But CRA’s supply is limited, she added, so it is unlikely they will be able to provide more before Dillo Day. 

“At this time, test strips are not legally allowed to be sold through retailers in Illinois, so we have very limited options for procuring more,” Vipond told The Daily in an email.

Mayfest is also referring students to Live4Lali, a local organization that delivers fentanyl test strips across the Chicago suburbs. Students can text or call 224-297-4393 to arrange a delivery.

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