Among high school teens…

We are seeing an increase in the use of counterfeit (fake/bogus) prescription pills that contain lethal amounts of fentanyl. Since February 2021, 14 teens in our county have died from fentanyl overdoses. Unless prescriptions pills come from a pharmacy, there is no way of knowing if they are safe.

What is Fentanyl?

A powerful synthetic opioid doctors prescribe to patients to help with severe pain. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine, and 50 times more potent than heroin as a painkiller. Drug dealers are mixing fentanyl with other drugs like Oxy and Xanax, and you can’t tell the pill contains this deadly drug. Fentanyl can be made into powder form, pills, capsules, solutions, or put on blotter papers.

What our departments are seeing:

• A big increase in the availability of the M-30 pill (Oxycodone). These pills called “percs”, “oxys”, and “blues” are laced with deadly fentanyl, causing overdose deaths.
• Many younger kids are abusing Xanax. The counterfeit Xanax pills, (Xanax bars) likely contain fentanyl.
• An increase in fentanyl powder; it is being snorted, smoked, and injected.
• Teens are getting these drugs through contacts on social media.

What does a Fentanyl Overdose look like?

The person will show these symptoms:

• Breathe slowly, or stop breathing
• Be drowsy or unresponsive
• Be snoring and you’re unable to wake them
• Have small or pinpoint pupils

If you see these signs, immediately call 911 and say the person is suspected of having a fentanyl overdose. You will not get in trouble for calling 911 to help someone who is having an overdose. The longer you wait to call the less likely the person will survive.