The “war on drugs” in this country has been going on for years, and there’s no sign that anything is getting better. The names of the drugs on the market may change, but the problem remains the same.
Currently, the opioid crisis — and the resulting backlash against doctors who prescribe “too many” pain pills to their patients — has created a whole new class of drug addicts, many of whom aren’t exactly “street-savvy.” Now, their lives may be in danger because of an influx of fake prescription drugs that are laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine.
What’s going on with the counterfeit pills?
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been broadcasting the warning in several states — including, now, Alabama — about lethal counterfeit pills that are designed to look like actual prescription drugs.
Produced in mass quantities in Chinese labs and moved into the United States via Mexican cartels, these drugs can be deadly. The target market for these drugs isn’t hardcore drug users. Rather, drug traffickers are tapping into a market that was left open once the DEA began cracking down on shady pharmacies and “pill mills.”
The vast majority of people who have been cut off from their pain pill supply aren’t familiar with “street” drugs, like meth. Many became addicted to opioids after having legal prescriptions, while others are just trying to treat their pain and are frustrated at the lack of access to legal painkillers.
These people end up buying what they think are a few doses of a drug like Oxycontin, and they take them accordingly — without realizing that the drug is laced with something stronger. As a result, overdoses are climbing.
Anyone buying prescription pills needs to be very wary of counterfeit drugs, but so do many low-level dealers. If someone dies as a result of the counterfeit pills you sell them (or give them), you could be held responsible for their death.