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.
Learn more
Explore the videos and resources below to learn more about fentanyl and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.
