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What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid with an intended medical use of treating severe pain, especially among cancer patients. Since 2013, there has been a significant increase in the use of fentanyl as a recreational drug and subsequently it is the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.
Quick Facts about Fentanyl
- • Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the American public.
- • Fake 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 fake pills are made to look like prescription drugs such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, • Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®).
- • DEA Laboratory Testing Reveals that 6 out of 10 Fentanyl-Laced Fake Prescription Pills Now Contain a Potentially Lethal Dose of Fentanyl
- • Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage. DEA analysis has found counterfeit pills ranging from .02 to 5.1 milligrams (more than twice the lethal dose) of fentanyl per tablet.
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Learn more
Explore the videos and resources below to learn more about fentanyl and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.