ONE PILL CAN KILL: Attorney General Moody Warns of Sharp Increase in Counterfeit Pills Containing Lethal Doses of Fentanyl

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “We have been warning Floridians that just one pill can kill, but as fentanyl continues to flood across the U.S.-Mexico border in record amounts, the message is quickly evolving into One Pill WILL KILL. I cannot stress enough how vital it is to never use drugs—as lethal amounts of fentanyl are increasingly being discovered in so many illicit substances creating a terrible spike in overdose deaths.”

The investigation by DEA in 2021 found four out of ten fentanyl-laced prescription pills seized contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. According to a release from DEA, more than 20.4 million fake prescription pills were seized in 2021—a 50-fold increase in just three years. Often, users have no idea that fentanyl is in other drugs until it is too late. The low cost of production encourages drug traffickers to lace other illicit drugs with the cheaper, deadlier fentanyl.

Attorney General Moody added DEA’s warning to Florida’s new One Pill Can Kill webpage on the Dose of Reality Florida website. The webpage focuses on the dangers of illicit fentanyl in hopes of raising awareness and helping save lives. To view the One Pill Can Kill webpage, click here.

The Dose of Reality Florida website is a one-stop resource for Floridians to learn about the dangers of opioid misuse, how to receive support for addiction and where to drop off unused prescription drugs. To learn more about Dose of Reality Florida, click here.

In June, Attorney General Moody released the Fast Facts on Fentanyl Toolkit, an informational resource for parents to help protect children from digital drug dealers online. The toolkit highlights how drug dealers are utilizing social media to sell illicit substances. It also warns that substances may contain deadly amounts of synthetic opioids. To view the toolkit, click here.