(Des Moines, IA) -- The Iowa Department of Public Safety says officers have collected more than 70-thousand fentanyl-laced, counterfeit prescription drugs so far in 2022. Department of Public Safety Commissioner Steve Bayens says both urban and rural areas are being targeted by drug dealers selling the fake medications, that look identical to oxycontin and Percocet. He says the pills are coming from pill mills, run by Mexican drug cartels, and are being distributed by drug dealers throughout the U-S.
He made the comments today (Tuesday) during a news conference with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
“While the rapid increase of drug overdoses and deaths since 2020 is largely attributed to the pandemic, the surge of illegal drug trafficking at our nation’s southern border under the Biden Administration is undeniably fueling the fentanyl crisis and its resulting overdose epidemic,” said Gov. Reynolds. “Illicit fentanyl is smuggled into the U.S. and quickly trafficked nationwide where it is infiltrating our neighborhoods and threatening the lives of our children. Fentanyl is here and the threat is real--in our major metro areas and in our small towns--no community is immune.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration says as little as 2 to 3 milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly and it's estimated 4 out of every 10 fake pills laced with fentanyl contain a lethal amount.
“The fentanyl secretly added to fake pills and other drugs for profit is not a legal pharmaceutical grade treatment for severe pain, but rather illicit fentanyl typically produced outside the U.S. that can be up to 100 times stronger than morphine,” said Susie Sher of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy.
“Drug traffickers predominately from Mexico are using makeshift pill mills to turn fentanyl powder into pills that have the color and markings of common prescription drugs,” said DPS Commissioner Bayens. “If our seasoned narcotics agents and drug chemists cannot immediately tell the difference, the public certainly couldn’t. So, it’s important that Iowans gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the pervasiveness and dangers of fentanyl, and how we all can play a part in stopping this epidemic.”
Iowa has one of the nation's lowest rates of drug overdose deaths (46th in 2021), but the numbers are rising. The Iowa Department of Public Health reports a 34% increase in drug overdose deaths (470 in 2021 vs. 350 in 2019), due mostly to opioids, with fentanyl implicated in 83% of the statewide opioid deaths last year. Among young Iowans under 25 years of age, drug overdose deaths increased 120% over the last two years (44 in 2021 vs. 20 in 2019).
“A majority of the fentanyl related deaths that we see are determined to be accidental—meaning the person did not mean to harm themselves or cause their own death,” said State Medical Examiner Dr. Dennis Klein. “Fentanyl, like other opioids, depresses the respiratory drive and deprives the brain and the body of oxygen that then leads to death.” Dr. Klein also says the amounts of fentanyl are so potent that death can occur very rapidly and some exposures require multiple doses of naloxone.
In 2016, Governor Reynolds signed a law allowing pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription to Iowans. Iowans can also request naloxone through the University of Iowa’s Tele-Naloxone program by visiting www.naloxoneiowa.org. Iowa businesses, restaurants, bars, community organizations, etc., can also request free naloxone to have available.
Anyone that encounters a counterfeit pill is encouraged to call the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement completely anonymous tip hotline at (800) 532-0052 or dneinfo@dps.state.ia.us and in the case of an emergency, call 911. For 24-hour confidential support and for more information on fentanyl and counterfeit pills, or for resources on opioid or other substance use disorders, visit www.YourLifeIowa.org.
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