Study finds rise in law enforcement seizures of fake fentanyl pills
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A recent study shows there is a sharp increase in the law enforcement confiscations of counterfeit fentanyl pills, emphasizing the escalating drug supply fueling the nation’s opioid crisis.
The study was published Monday in the International Journal of Drug Policy, according to NPR. The study shows that law enforcement seized over 115 million pills containing fentanyl last year, compared to approximately 71 million in 2022. The number of pills seized in 2023 was 2,300 times greater than those seized in 2017.
The counterfeit pills, designed to copy legitimate prescription opioids like oxycodone or benzodiazepines, pose a large risk as they are often far more lethal.
Experts have been sounding the alarm on fentanyl for more than a decade, according to NPR, which said that the surge in counterfeit pills is contributing to the worsening opioid epidemic, particularly in the western United States.
The study, led by researchers involved in the National Drug Early Warning System, which is a federal program that monitors drug seizures in 33 “high-intensity” drug trafficking areas across the country.
It showed that counterfeit fentanyl pills are becoming increasingly prevalent.
The ease of production and purchase, coupled with the accessibility of the pills through social media and the dark web, has increased the issue, NPR reported.
Fentanyl’s potent and quick-acting nature, along with properties making it addictive, further compound the risk associated with its use.