60% of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl
York County, SC (Tega Cay Sun) – A series of alarming incidents involving fentanyl have raised concerns about the spread of the deadly synthetic opioid. In recent weeks, York County schools have witnessed two overdose cases, while Charlotte police seized a significant amount of rainbow fentanyl, a variant known for its vibrant colors resembling candy.
On September 8, a 15-year-old student at Rock Hill High School in York County fell unconscious in a classroom, prompting the administration of two doses of Narcan. The student, upon regaining consciousness, revealed the consumption of a blue pill of unknown origin.
Just days later, on September 13, Fort Mill Police Department responded to a possible overdose at Pleasant Knoll Middle School involving a 13-year-old student. The school district assured parents that the incident did not pose any danger to other students or staff, but details remain scarce as the Criminal Investigation Department continues its investigation.
In a separate incident, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police seized approximately 23 grams of rainbow fentanyl from a 25-year-old individual during a traffic stop on September 7. The seizure has led to alerts being issued to rehab facilities, warning of the drug’s presence in Charlotte ahead of Halloween.
Rainbow fentanyl, resembling candy or chalk, poses a significant risk, especially with over 100,000 Americans succumbing to drug overdoses in 2021, 66% of which were related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a stark warning about the increasing lethality of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills. DEA Laboratory testing reveals that 60% of such pills now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl, marking a significant increase from the previous year.
Administrator Anne Milgram emphasized the dangers of these pills, predominantly mass-produced by the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel in Mexico. “Never take a pill that wasn’t prescribed directly to you. Just one pill is dangerous and one pill can kill,” warned Milgram.
The DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign aims to raise awareness about the risks of counterfeit pills, as fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat in the country, being 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
For more information on the dangers of fentanyl, please visit Fentanyl Awareness (dea.gov).
