Local healthcare and law enforcement experts are worried about the influx of fentanyl into the Greater Cincinnati community. The Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) national "One Pill Can Kill" campaign is aimed at bringing attention the the fact that fentanyl is now being found in counterfeit pills and even marijuana.
According to the DEA:
Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the American public.
Counterfeit pills are easy to purchase, widely available, often contain fentanyl or methamphetamine, and can be deadly.
Fake prescription pills are easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, making them available to anyone with a smartphone, including minors.
Many counterfeit pills are made to look like prescription opioids such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®).
There are photos on their website that compare legitimate medications and the counterfeit versions. Of course the worry is that this latest influx will continue to increase the record-breaking number of overdose deaths in the U.S. #OnePillCanKill
