Newport Police and DEA warn of Counterfeit Pills

The Newport police department has issued a warning to the public about counterfeit pills that could be extremely dangerous to those taking them. According to Newport police…The DEA has issued a warning about a growing trend of mass-produced counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl, which is the primary driver in the increase of overdose deaths….more than 93,000 people are estimated to have died from an overdose in 2020. According to the DEA, counterfeit pills are increasingly lethal, widely available and easy to purchase, including for teens and young adults. In fact, the DEA states that the number of seized counterfeit pills containign fentanyl has increased 430% since 2019…seizing more than 9 1/2 million this year alone. Those counterfeit pills have been found in all 50 states. The DEA states that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by trusted medical professionals and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist.

For more information on counterfeit pills you can check out the website www.DEA.gov/onepill.