DEA warns of increase in lethal counterfeit pills

In response to an “alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine,” the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued an alert this week. It said some of the most common counterfeit pills are made to look like prescription opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and alprazolam or stimulants like amphetamines. Fake prescription pills are widely accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, the agency said. The DEA recently launched a public awareness campaign, One Pill Can Kill, to educate the public on dangers of counterfeit pills. (DEA alert, 9/27/21)