Counterfeit Pills With Fentanyl Are Prevalent In North Carolina

Drugs sold on the street have always been an issue, including in North Carolina. Because of this, using any drug not prescribed by a doctor has its risks. People tend to know they’re taking a risk whenever they’re ingesting a drug not prescribed by a doctor. However, before the early 2000s, opioids were primarily considered street drugs. When Oxycontin was created, opioid addiction began to skyrocket. Pill mills began to get shut down for feeding opioid addiction. And then, a rush of drugs like fentanyl came in to fill the void as more and more Oxycontin was taken off the street. These counterfeit pills often cause fentanyl overdoses deaths, of which North Carolina had nearly 4,000 in 2021.

Unstable Drug Supply Brought an Influx of Counterfeit Pills

The COVID pandemic caused supply chain issues not only in our supermarkets but also in the illicit drug trade. Just as in-person retailers began to “pivot” and become more accessible, so did drug dealers. Many young people turned to drugs to cope with newfound loneliness, anxiety, and despair. Drug dealers found new buyers just a click away on apps like Signal and WhatsApp. As a result, drug and alcohol use skyrocketed, and so did overdoses. Between 2021 and 2022, there were over 100,000 overdose deaths in America and fifty in Whatcom County. The majority of deaths involved fentanyl.

North Carolina’s overdose deaths more than doubled from 2019 to 2022. Even 30% of cocaine overdoses in North Carolina last year involved fentanyl. This drug has made its way into almost any illicit drug that exists. It’s commonly pressed into pills and sold as Percocet, Codeine, and Oxycontin.

Why So Many Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills?

In recent years, drugs sold on the street aren’t what they’re purporting to be. Instead, the anonymity of buying online through an encrypted app means more scam artists and people selling fentanyl as something else.

Today, drug dealers add to their bottom line in myriad ways. For example, they may buy raw fentanyl powder and press it INTO the Molly pill to give some extra “kick.” Some drug dealers sell fentanyl as Oxycontin or less potent opioids. Other drug dealers may not even realize the drugs they’re pressing are tainted with fentanyl. It’s unclear why so much of the illicit drug supply has been tainted by fentanyl and its analogs. It’s only clear that the problem has accelerated in recent years, and it is the cause of substantial overdose deaths.

Fentanyl And Opioid Use Disorder

Fentanyl is a potent narcotic that is highly addictive. If you or somebody you care about is misusing opioids such as fentanyl or oxycodone, help is available. Many people who want to quit using opioids have trouble doing it independently; help is needed.

Many people find relief as they begin recovery with the help of Medication-Assisted Treatment such as Suboxone. Alongside education and management of opioid use disorder, you can begin to pick up the pieces of your life. Learn more about how our programs can help you or your loved one. Give us a call at 910-295-4767.