Mass-produced fake prescription  medicines are increasingly common – and 40% of them carry a potentially lethal dose of synthetic opioids, like Fentanyl. 
In 2021, more than 20 million counterfeit pills were seized. Still, more than 65,000 people in the U.S. died of drug overdoses caused by synthetic opioid-filled fakes.
Synthetic opioids and counterfeit medicines wreak havoc on relationships, families and entire communities, stealing people’s health, hope and future.

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Getting a prescription medication from a friend or family member can seem like a quick way to deal with a small problem. ​In fact, half of all the people who take a prescription medicine that isn’t their own, get it from a friend or family member. 

Where did those pills come from? Who manufactured them? You don't really know. Unless it’s your prescription, you have no idea what it really is, or where it actually came from. So why blindly put your trust in something you can't verify? It's not worth it.

SOME TRAPS ARE EASY TO AVOID. OTHERS, LIKE COUNTERFEIT PRESCRIPTION MEDS LACED WITH SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS ARE NOT SO OBVIOUS. 

Almost half of all counterfeit pills seized and tested in the United States contain enough fentanyl to kill. And tens of thousands are killed, every year. These were regular people who just wanted some relief from stress, or to focus, or who wanted a break from their pain. But instead of relief, all they got was anguish, addiction, trauma and in some cases even death.

SOME IMPOSTERS ARE EASY TO SPOT. BUT, THERE'S NO WAY TO VERIFY IF THAT POWDER OR PILL IS THE REAL DEAL OR A FENTANYL-FILLED FAKE.

​Many of these counterfeits are so well made that even experienced users can’t tell the difference. So how can you? How can your source? The truth is no one can. Until it’s too late. Fakes are deliberately disguised to make them look safer. Like all imposters, it’s in their nature to lie and trick you–and that can mean suffering serious physical, mental, emotional and even social harm. It can mean brutal addiction, and it can mean losing your life.

SOME ESCAPES ARE OBVIOUS. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OPIOIDS, EVEN IF YOU ESCAPE WITH YOUR LIFE, YOU MAY BE LEFT WITH YEARS OF TRAUMA, ADDICTION AND REGRET.

Your brain continues developing until you are about 25 years old. That can make younger adults even more vulnerable to physical dependence and drug addiction. That means that if you survive taking counterfeit pills laced with synthetic opioids (or misusing real prescription opioids) you massively increase the likelihood of later heroin use, as well as of serious health, wellness, financial and legal problems.

HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR GENERATION STANDS ON OPIOIDS.

Tell us why messing with someone else’s drugs is #justnotworthit for you. 

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Where do we get our information? It’s all here, double-checked and peer-reviewed.
It can be hard to turnaway a friend or family member trying to help. We have information that might help.

COMMUNITY TOOLKIT

Posters and fliers in English and Spanish for you to use in raising awareness about the dangers of Opioids.
Posts and graphics that you can use on your organization’s social media platforms.