Protect teens from counterfeit fentanyl

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, fentanyl killed 883 Texans in 2020. That number almost doubled in 2021 with preliminary data showing 1,672 fentanyl-related deaths in Texas.

Fentanyl is safe when taken as prescribed by a doctor to treat severe pain. However, illegally manufactured fentanyl is often added to counterfeit (fake) pills and other substances with or without a person's knowledge.

The overdose crisis is harming Texas youth at an especially alarming rate. Teenagers and young adults can easily buy illegal substances and counterfeit pills; many of these illegal drugs may be mixed with potentially fatal doses of fentanyl.

Even small amounts of fentanyl, equivalent to a few grains of sand, can be deadly. That means that any pill could be the one that kills.

Counterfeit pills can be made to look like pills that come from a pharmacy, such as:

Oxycodone

Vicodin

Percocet

Xanax

Adderall.

Fentanyl can also be made to look like:

Heroin

Cocaine

Methamphetamine MDMA (also known as “ecstasy” or “Molly”).