Fentanyl - One Pill Can Kill

Fentanyl, a highly addictive synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country. Recent DEA lab testing found that 60% of pills laced with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose.

As a fentanyl epidemic ravages the state, Butte area families and leaders have teamed up to share their stories and warn others against the dangers of this drug: Fake and Fatal - One Pill Can Kill.

Preliminary data from the Montana DPHHS finds that there were 125 overdose deaths in Montana in 2022, with a 100% increase in deaths year-over-year. There are currently 7 overdose deaths year-to-date in the Mining City.

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 opioids such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®).
Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose.
According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Find more information at Montana's Substance Abuse Prevention website.

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Fentanyl – One Pill Can Kill

Fentanyl Facts from the DEA