Chester County Medicine Summer 2021 - 18

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Counterfeit Pills
What are counterfeit pills?
Counterfeit pills are fake medications that have different
ingredients than the actual medication. They may contain no
active ingredient, the wrong active ingredient, or have the right
ingredient but in an incorrect quantity. Counterfeit pills may
contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine and
are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to
legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of how
lethal they can be.
What is their origin?
The majority of counterfeit drug production occurs in other
countries, mainly China, Mexico, and India. Furthermore, an
increasing number of pills laced with fentanyl are being produced
in the U.S. Mexican and domestic drug trafficking organizations
operating in the U.S. produce counterfeit pills with pre-made
chemicals and drugs from China and/or Mexico. They are usually
produced in substandard conditions, labeled incorrectly, and may
include dangerous, unapproved substances. There are no quality
control mechanisms in the illicit labs producing counterfeit pills to
ensure dosing is not lethal. Online sales via internet marketplaces
and social media are the major sources for obtaining counterfeit
pills.
A significant number of high school and college students
purchase Adderall and Xanax from dark web drug markets and/
or through social media referrals1
, which market deadly versions
of these drugs tainted with fentanyl and/or methamphetamine.
Some students begin using prescription stimulants, often referred
to as " study drugs, " in the belief it will benefit their academic
performance, but the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants
has not been proven to improve academic performance2
.
Left: Authentic oxycodone M30 tablets (top) vs. counterfeit oxycodone
M30 tablets containing fentanyl (bottom). Center: Authentic
Adderall tablets (top) vs. counterfeit Adderall tablets containing
methamphetamine (bottom). Right: Authentic Xanax tablets (white)
vs. counterfeit Xanax tablets containing fentanyl (yellow).
What are common street names?
Counterfeit oxycodone M30 pills: Mexican Blues, Blues,
M-Boxes
What do they look like?
Counterfeit pills are nearly identical to actual prescription
medications. The majority of counterfeit pills resemble oxycodone
30mg pills (M30s), but can also mimic hydrocodone, alprazolam
(Xanax), Adderall, and other medications. There are indications
that drug trafficking organizations are specifically targeting kids
and teens by creating counterfeit pills in a variety of shapes and
bright colors to appeal to that age group. Counterfeit M30 pills
can vary in color from white to blue. The best way to avoid
counterfeit medication is to take only medications prescribed
by a licensed medical professional and dispensed by a registered
pharmacist.
How are they used?
Counterfeit pills are especially dangerous because people
think they are purchasing legitimate prescription medications.
However, these fake pills often contain lethal amounts of illicit
drugs. Distributors in the United States are selling counterfeit pills
on social media, appealing to a younger audience that use these
18 CHESTER COUNTY Medicine | SUMMER 2021
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Chester County Medicine Summer 2021

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