Fentanyl - One Pill Can Kill

Hope Coalition is teaming up with community partners to raise awareness about the risks of fentanyl poisoning and to alert residents to a sharp increase in the lethality of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills as part of the "One Pill Can Kill" campaign. 

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. 

In the illicit drug market, fentanyl is usually sold as a white powder or counterfeit prescription pills that mimic common prescription medications, including Xanax, Oxycodone, and Adderall. More than half of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills now trafficked contain a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl. These drugs are easy to purchase and widely available.

The Henderson County Police Department is seizing fake pills at record rates and there has also seen a significant increase in street narcotics advertised as heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine that contain fentanyl.

What Can Parents Do?
 

• Educate your children about the dangers of opioids and other illicit drugs. Advise your children that they should refrain from taking any pill that was not prescribed by a doctor and picked up from a pharmacy.  
• Monitor your child’s social media accounts and online activity. Drug dealers proactively contact children through social media and money transfer applications to develop new customers.  

Stay educated on current drug trends so you can teach your children. Sadly, one “experiment” with an illegal narcotic or a pill could be lethal. One pill can kill.

Facts About Fake Pills

• Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the American public.
• Fake pills are easy to purchase, widely available, often contain fentanyl or methamphetamine, and can be deadly.
• Fake prescription pills are easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, making them available to anyone with a smartphone, including minors.
• Many fake pills are made to look like prescription drugs such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®).

Downloas Drug Factsheet

What does a Fentanyl Overdose Look Like?

If you suspect a fentanyl overdose, immediately call 911. The symptoms of a potential overdose can include:

• Lethargy
• Slow or no breathing
• Blue lips and nails
• Dizziness and confusion
• Unconsciousness
• Choking/snoring sounds.

All Henderson County Police and Fire Department personnel are equipped with naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of fentanyl poisoning in most cases. Hope Coalition also offers free naloxone and medication lock boxes to the public.