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How does fentanyl lead to rising teen death rates?

April 12, 2024

Most American teens don’t use drugs — in fact, the use of illicit drugs by teens has been decreasing for more than two decades. But despite that decline, drug-related deaths in teens have increased dramatically since 2019. And most of those drug-related deaths now involve fentanyl.

The DEA Laboratory found that six out of ten of the fentanyl-laced counterfeit prescription pills it analyzed in 2022 contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. It’s a new risk that young people need to hear about.

I remember feeling so flustered, with a cop talking at me. They asked if I was Charlie's girlfriend, and I said yes. They asked if he took drugs, and in my flustered state, I said yes, but he was safe about it. We were about to make dinner when our housemate Caesar came into the kitchen, saying something was wrong with Chuck. Chuck wasn't okay. We started moving him around, and at one point, blood started coming out of his nose. We heard fire trucks and actually texted Chuck, asking what was happening. Then Tommy called me in tears. When I saw all of Chuck's housemates on the ground crying, it hit me hard.

"We have some news. We have some bad news," they said. "What's going on?" I asked. "Charlie died," they said. "Charlie died from pills."

Charlie didn't die from an overdose; he was poisoned. The DEA warns parents to monitor their children's social media activities after investigations revealed children dying from fentanyl overdoses. There are millions of these dangerous fake pills out there. Fifteen thousand pounds of fentanyl, a lethal drug smuggled mainly from Mexico, has caused numerous deaths.

Michael K. Williams was found dead in his New York apartment, ruled an accident by mixed drug toxicity with fentanyl. He thought he was getting a Percocet, but it was a counterfeit, completely fake.

When I got the call, it felt like my world shattered. I was screaming, crying, and getting sick. "Why him?" I kept asking.

Nothing is worth what we experienced that day. It makes you think, it could have been anyone. No high is worth it. Talking to Mama T the next day, we realized taking and sharing prescription pills has become normalized among young people, facilitated by social media.

When you do drugs in high school or college, you have no idea where it's from. You trust the dealer, but you don't know who they're getting it from. One pill could end your life. We never imagined Charlie would take one pill and just...be gone.

We want to raise awareness about the new risks and dangers in the era of fentanyl and synthetic drugs. None of the victims represented here died of an overdose; they were poisoned. Each took a single pill. It's impossible to overdose on a Xanax unless it's laced with fentanyl.

These counterfeit pills have flooded the market. If it's not from your doctor or pharmacist, assume it's fake. You need to warn your friends. Fentanyl is everywhere, and it's deadly.

If it could happen to Charlie, it could happen to anyone. One moment you can't take back makes the biggest shockwave ever.

You guys didn't create this problem, but you can solve it. The solution is in your hands. Spread the word. Fentanyl is deadly, but with your help, we can make this problem go away.


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