A pill may look real, but you never know.
Pills given to you by a friend, sold on social media or anywhere besides a licensed pharmacy are most likely fake. Almost all fake pills contain fentanyl — and a third of fake pills contain deadly amounts of it. Fentanyl is a powerful drug that can be illegally made and disguised as other medications.
The only pill you can trust is one that is prescribed to you by a medical professional, filled at a licensed pharmacy and taken as directed. Most young people in Kansas who know about fentanyl think it’s risky, but many who die from it didn’t even mean to take it.
It’s not worth the risk, because you never know.
You Need to Know About Fentanyl
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Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid. There are two types:
1. Medical-grade fentanyl is used by doctors to treat severe pain.
2. Illegally made fentanyl is disguised as other medications and distributed through illegal drug suppliers. It is linked to almost all cases of fentanyl-related overdose and poisoning. It is in almost all fake pills because it is so potent and cheap to make. One third of all fake pills contain a deadly dose of fentanyl.
This kind of fentanyl is the deadliest drug in America. It’s 50 times more potent than heroin and just a few grains of it can kill someone. You can't see, taste or smell it, so it is easily disguised as other medications.
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Fake pills are disguised as real medications, such as Percocet, Xanax, Adderall and others. They might look real, but they almost always contain fentanyl. These fake pills might be purchased on social media or given to someone by a friend, but they’re created by illegal drug suppliers because they're cheaper to produce and drive addiction. Many people who die from fentanyl didn’t even mean to take it.
There is no quality control in the production of fake pills, so you never know how much fentanyl they contain or even which part of a pill might contain a deadly amount of fentanyl.
The only pill you can trust is one prescribed to you by a medical professional, filled at a licensed pharmacy and taken as a directed. With any other pill, you never know.
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Illegal fentanyl isn’t made by medical professionals in high-tech labs. It’s made by illegal drug suppliers in sketchy conditions. There is no quality control in the production of fake pills, so you never know how much fentanyl they contain or even which part of a pill might contain a deadly amount of fentanyl. People who have taken half or even a fourth of a fake pill have died from fentanyl poisoning.
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Many people who have died from fentanyl didn’t know they were taking it. They thought they were taking a real medication, but their source wasn’t legit. They may be trying something to help them focus, sleep or deal with stress, and take a pill they think is safe. But pills sold online, on social media or even through friends are often fakes made with fentanyl.
You Need to Know How to Help
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Knowing the signs of an overdose can be the difference between life and death. Call 911 immediately if a person shows ANY of the following:
Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
Falling asleep or losing consciousness
Slow, weak or no breathing
Choking or gurgling sounds
Cold and clammy skin
Bluish color around lips or nail beds
You never know when you might be in a position to save a life.
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Even if you’re unsure, treat it like an overdose:
Administer naloxone as soon as possible, if available
Try to keep the person awake and breathing
Lay the person on their side to prevent choking
Stay with them until emergency workers arrive
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Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose or poisoning and save lives. Narcan is a common brand name. Naloxone is safe for all ages, including young people. It can be purchased without a prescription at most pharmacies.
Watch this 30-second video on how to administer naloxone.
Learn more about free naloxone in Kansas and free naloxone in Missouri.
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Fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect fentanyl in a variety of drugs. They give people who use drugs important information about fentanyl in the illegal drug supply so they can reduce overdose or poisoning risk. They are legal to use in Kansas.
No test is 100% accurate and drugs may still contain fentanyl even with a negative test result. Take caution, because you never know.
Learn more about free fentanyl test strips in Kansas.
