A recent investigation by Scripps News has highlighted the growing trend of states implementing and considering laws mandating fentanyl testing, a move that some families say has saved lives. Notably, one family in California credits a fentanyl test at their local hospital with saving the lives of their five-month-old twin babies.

The parents of the twins reported that, during their hospital visit, a required test detected fentanyl in the infants' systems. At the time, the parents admitted to using the powerful opioid, raising urgent concerns about the safety of their children.

RELATED STORY | Twin babies and parents ‘saved’ following hospital fentanyl test

"Life or death. Without that, one of them would have died," said Lauren Hinton, the twins' mother, reflecting on the significance of the test.

California was the first state to enact a law in 2023 requiring most hospitals to include fentanyl testing in any urine drug screening conducted to assist in diagnosing a patient's condition. Following California's lead, at least five other states have passed similar legislation: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Virginia, and Louisiana.

Louisiana's new law specifically targets testing for children, an initiative that arose from the tragic case of two-year-old Mitchell Robinson, who died from fentanyl poisoning after visiting a hospital multiple times that failed to test him for the substance.

Republican State Sen. Stewart Cathey, who sponsored the law, emphasized the importance of protecting children.

"Anything that we can do to protect those children is a step in the right direction," he stated.

Since the law took effect, Scripps News found that at least 22 children aged two or younger have tested positive for fentanyl in Louisiana hospitals. Meanwhile, in Maryland, hospitals reported over 33,000 positive fentanyl tests across all ages since the enactment of the law, highlighting the widespread issue.

The push for fentanyl testing is gaining traction nationally, with at least 14 state legislatures proposing similar bills in recent years. In Florida, a bill known as Gage's Law—which honors a man who died from a fentanyl overdose—has progressed through the legislative process and recently passed, moving to the governor's desk for approval.

"This is a young man whose life he should still be with us," said Republican State Rep. Doug Bankson, who has championed the bill.

In Michigan, Democratic State Rep. Stephanie Young intends to reintroduce her testing bill during this legislative session, calling the need for testing "a no-brainer."

"This isn't partisan legislation," she said. "This is human legislation."

RELATED STORY | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis ‘disheartened’ by communication gaps in child fentanyl cases

Virginia’s Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently signed a testing bill into law, which reflects the growing consensus surrounding the necessity of these measures. Delegate Irene Shin, who sponsored the Virginia legislation, commented on the alarming fact that children in the community are ingesting fentanyl, expressing hope for legislative impact.

"That's horrifying to think that there are small children in our communities ingesting fentanyl," she said. "I think that this I hope that legislation like mine can start to help address some of that."

While proponents argue that additional screenings can be implemented at minimal cost to hospitals—approximately less than $1 each—some industry representatives, such as the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, have expressed reservations about endorsing unfunded mandates.

On the federal level, a bipartisan group in Congress reintroduced a fentanyl testing bill in March, signaling a potential comprehensive approach to combating the opioid crisis.

The urgency of these measures is underscored by the experiences of families facing the devastating possibilities of fentanyl exposure.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.