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'One pill can kill' DEA warning people about the dangers of Fentanyl

Right now, 4 out of 10 pills coming out of the DEA's labs are laced with fentanyl.

NEW ORLEANS — Last year over 170,000 people died due to overdoses, that's enough people to fill up the Caesars Superdome and Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Two-thirds of the deaths are blamed on synthetic opioids like fentanyl. 

With this in mind, the Drug Enforcement Administration is spearheading an initiative called "One Pill Can Kill". The initiative is simple: save lives.

Special Agent in Charge, Brad Byerley for the New Orleans Field Division said after a five-month, nationwide investigation millions of pills laced with fentanyl were recovered, and almost a ton of drug in its powder form. Right now, 4 out of 10 pills coming out of the DEA's labs are laced with fentanyl.

"Just from May of this year to September this month, we've seized around 980,000 pounds of powder, fentanyl and right around 10.2 million pills, which is right around 36 million lethal doses of fentanyl," said Byerley.

Byerley said everything in the drug trafficking industry is driven by money. Two cartels based in Mexico, CJNG and Sinaloa, are responsible for a large portion of the drugs making their way across the border.

Byerly said, "These two cartels are importing from China, chemicals, and they're synthesizing these chemicals out of China into fentanyl. Then they are flooding our nation with these fake pills. Some of them are heroin laced with fentanyl. Some of them are methamphetamine laced with fentanyl. Some of them are pure fentanyl."

According to the DEA, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times strong than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. The pharmaceutical drug is used for pain management most often in cancer patients, but the synthetic form is created in unregulated labs. Special Agent Byerley said the agency and its law enforcement partners are turning to social media for investigations too.

"Nowadays, if you have a telephone and you're on social media, if you have a cell phone, you're prey to the cartel, and they use different emojis to advertise. And they will reach out to people on social media in different ways," said Special Agent Byerley.

So-called 'rainbow fentanyl' has been seized in the city of New Orleans according to Byerley. The colorful pills are meant to be attractive to young adults and teens, they are also known as 'Sweet Tarts". With so many deaths associated with fentanyl, its best to only take prescription drugs that were specifically given to you by a doctor.

"Don't take any pill that was not prescribed to them by their doctor, don't take one from a friend, don't take one from a family member. Don't take one help you study for our college or high school exam. If it's not prescribed to you don't take it because these pills on the street are not regulated," said Byerley.

For additional resources surrounding the "One Pill Can Kill" initiative click here.

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