Counterfeit pills containing illegally made fentanyl are more dangerous primarily because:
- They often contain lethal amounts of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Even a tiny dose as small as 2 milligrams (about the size of a few grains of salt) can be deadly
- These counterfeit pills are manufactured in illicit labs with no quality control, so the fentanyl content is highly unpredictable and can vary widely, increasing the risk of overdose
- They are designed to look identical to legitimate prescription medications such as oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, or Adderall, deceiving users into thinking they are safe. This false sense of security leads to unintentional ingestion of a lethal dose
- The pills are widely available through social media, online marketplaces, and street dealers, making them accessible to anyone, including minors, who may not be aware of the risks
- Illicit fentanyl in these pills is often sourced from foreign countries (notably China and Mexico) and trafficked by powerful drug cartels, contributing to a massive influx of these deadly counterfeit drugs in communities across the U.S.
- Because fentanyl is so potent, counterfeit pills containing it are a major driver of the recent surge in overdose deaths, with fentanyl-related fatalities accounting for a significant portion of drug overdose deaths in the U.S.
In summary, the extreme potency of fentanyl combined with the unregulated, inconsistent dosing in counterfeit pills that mimic legitimate drugs makes these pills especially dangerous and a leading cause of overdose deaths
