Is The Drug You’re Taking Laced With Fentanyl? Why You Should Be Extra Cautious

October 19, 2021 - Drug Facts - 0 Comments

You may not know it, but fentanyl is finding its way into illegal drugs and drugs sold on the streets. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be harmful even if you only use it once. In fact, even a small dose of the drug can be deadly. People who buy fentanyl-laced drugs are at risk of dying from just one hit.

In 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States was able to seize millions of counterfeit pills that were laced with fentanyl. Most of these counterfeit pills are sold in online websites and even in social media sites. The increasing amount of cases involving these drugs laced with fentanyl is very alarming and DEA agents said that it is a danger to public safety.  If fentanyl continues to be added to the illegal drugs and sold on streets, many more deaths can happen.

Why Are Drugs Laced with Fentanyl?

Maybe you’re wondering: Why are illegal drug manufacturers mixing fentanyl to produce drugs? The answer is quite simple: it’s cheap and potent. The use of fentanyl is increasing because it is cheaper than other narcotics like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines or prescription opioids. Illegal drug manufacturers are adding fentanyl to these substances because the substance can make the drug instantly stronger even with just a small amount. This means that they can make more money off these pills.

The problem, however, is that there is a complete disregard on how risky this practice is. Because fentanyl can be deadly even in small amounts, drug users and people who buy fentanyl-laced drugs are at risk of death.

What Drugs Are Being Laced with Fentanyl?

Since fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, illegal drug manufacturers use it to strengthen the potency of other counterfeit opioids like oxycodone, codeine, hydrocodone, and heroin to name a few. For example, you might think that you are getting OxyContin pills, but the reality is that these counterfeit pills are not pure oxycodone and instead, they are laced with fentanyl.

But aside from counterfeit opioid pills, many other popular drugs being counterfeited are now laced with fentanyl. Counterfeit drugs being marketed as Xanax, Adderall, Meth, and Cocaine have also been found to be mixed with fentanyl. Usually, online sites sell these counterfeit tablets as brand name drugs with buyers not knowing that they are buying fake Xanax or fake Adderall.

Why Are Drugs Laced with Fentanyl Dangerous?

Is it really dangerous to take drugs laced with fentanyl? What are the implications of taking a counterfeit pill mixed with this substance? One of the most alarming consequences is the risk for drug overdose. Because you are taking a drug that is not really what you think it is, a single dose could cost you your life. How could this happen?

Let’s say you are suffering from anxiety disorder and you were previously prescribed Xanax by your doctor. While your doctor only prescribed a certain dose, you got tempted to take more and have run out of the drug. Because you cannot anymore get a legitimate prescription, you decided to buy Xanax being sold online.

If you come across counterfeit Xanax laced with fentanyl, there is a risk of overdosing on the drug even if you are taking a regular dose. That’s because you are not taking pure Xanax anymore, instead, it is laced with a powerful opioid that can have serious effects.

How to Avoid Fentanyl-Laced Drugs

Drugs mixed with fentanyl are everywhere. Unless you are getting your drug from a licensed and reputable pharmacy, there’s really no way to know whether the drug you are taking is real or fake. The only way to protect yourself from fentanyl-laced pills is to stop buying drugs from illegal sources like from ecommerce sites or social media channels. The danger of getting counterfeit pills is just too high and it is not worth risking your life over.

It is important to remember that not only opioid drugs are now being laced with fentanyl. Many other popular drugs are also being counterfeited and mixed with this deadly opioid. You can never be too sure what drug you are taking so the best thing to do is just stop buying illegal drugs.

If pills have been cut with fentanyl, it will not give any warning signs that your pill is counterfeit.  While counterfeit pills are often sold for cheap, some drug dealers hike up the price to make people believe that they are selling the real things. But in reality, there’s no way for you to know for sure.

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, help is available.

Contact Lighthouse Treatment Center today.