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Parents warned of killer fake pills laced with fentanyl
The DEA has posted a chilling two-page warning to parents on fake pills—pills that can kill. The "One Pill/Can Kill" campaign kicks off with a warning that fentanyl "is a deadly synthetic opioid" pressed into bogus pills that are made to look like Adderall, Xanax, OxyContin and "other pharmaceuticals."
"It only takes a very small dose of fentanyl—2 milligrams—to be lethal, such as the amount found on the tip of a pencil," the Drug Enforcement Agency states.
The sickos pumping this poison to children are the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, both ruthless Mexican criminal gangs. The DEA adds the cartels produce these lethal pills in "a rainbow of colors" to look like candy.
If that isn't frightening enough, the DEA alert says lab testing reveals "four out of every 10 fake pills with fentanyl contain and potentially lethal dose." That's playing Russian roulette with vulnerable kids.
"Every color, shape, and size of fentanyl should be considered extremely dangerous," the DEA warns. "Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country."
What to look for
Fentanyl can cause confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, changes in pupil size, cold clammy skin, coma, and respiratory failure "leading to death"
How do the cartels pump the pills?
Drug traffickers use social media for sales and they can trace anyone who uses a cellphone to link to a sale site. "This means they are finding your kids who have social media accounts," the DEA warns.
Why be so concerned today?
This isn't your old-school drug culture where rolling joints was the talk you needed to have with your children. "The drug landscape is dramatically different from when you grew up or even a few years ago," the parental alert states. "All parents and caregivers need to be educated … and talk to your kids."
Tips for parents
- Talk. Be open and honest with your children about drugs and the dangers of fentanyl.
- Explain how fentanyl can be deadly
- Stress not to take "any pills" not prescribed by a doctor
- "No pill purchased on social media is safe"
- Explain how fentanyl is now polluting all types of drugs
- KEY! Create an "exit plan" to help your child know what to do if pressured to pop a pill
2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
