A deadly synthetic opioid is making street drugs increasingly more dangerous, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
There has been an “alarming increase” in the lethality and availability in fake prescription pills that contain fentanyl, the synthetic opioid, said the agency in an announcement Monday. According to The Washington Post, the DEA has not issued a warning about fentanyl since 2015.
Last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses – per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics – the most drug-related deaths recorded in a single year.
“Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid most commonly found in counterfeit pills, is the primary driver of this alarming increase in overdose deaths,” said the DEA.
Fentanyl is around 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and is used in medical settings to treat patients in severe pain, typically after surgery. Due to its high potency, amounts of fentanyl as small as two grams pose a great risk of fatal overdose, especially when those taking it believe they are using street heroin or a weaker drug.
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According to the DEA, mass-produced counterfeit pills made by both international and domestic criminal drug rings often contain deadly doses of fentanyl. These drugs are made to look like legitimate prescription medication such as Vicodin, Xanax, Oxycodone, Percocet or Adderall. They are easy to find and purchase on social media and e-commerce platforms, said the DEA.
In the alert, the agency said it is seizing fake pills at record rates, with more than 9.5 million seized so far this year, more than the last two years combined. Fake pills have been found in every state in the U.S.
Along with the overall increase in fake pill seizures, more counterfeit pills containing at least two grams of fentanyl have been confiscated by authorities. Since 2019, the number of fentanyl-laced pills seized by the DEA has increased by 430 percent. Today, two out of every five pills laced with fentanyl is expected to contain a fatal dose of the drug.
As people have died from illegal drug overdoses around the country this year, the DEA also seized 2,700 firearms in connection with drug trafficking investigations. This marks a 30 percent increase since 2019.
In addition to fentanyl, methamphetamine – a highly addictive stimulant – is increasingly being pressed into counterfeit pills.
All pills purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy are illegal, warned the DEA.
“The only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist,” said the agency.
“Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly.”
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