You Think You Know | Connecticut Preventi

Counterfeit pills are causing overdose deaths in people of all ages in Connecticut and around the country. If you didn't get your medication from a retail pharmacy and if it's not prescribed for you, you can't be sure it's safe.

IT ONLY TAKES ONE PILL!

If it’s fake it can be a devastating mistake.

Young people are misusing prescription drugs, which puts them at risk of encountering counterfeit pills.

Why Do They Misuse RX Drugs?

Where do they get RX drugs?

Nearly 15% of Young Adults (18 - 25)...

Reported prescription drug misuse in the past year and nearly 5% of youth ages 12 - 17 reported past-year nonmedical use. SOURCE

18 MILLON PEOPLE

In the United States, an estimated

18 million people have misused prescription drugs in the past year.

It is most common among those ages 18 - 25. SOURCE

10.1% OF CT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

reported ever taking prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription with rates highest for 12th graders at 10.5%.

SOURCE

The only safe place to get prescription medication from is a retail pharmacy that distributes FDA-approved drugs and they are only safe if they are prescribed for YOU.

You Think You Know...
But you can't be sure what's inside!

Although your friend wouldn't intentionally try to harm you, if they didn't get the drugs from a pharmacy, there is a chance they are counterfeit and may contain deadly additives.

The average person can't tell the difference between a real pill and a fake pill by looking at them.

REAL ADDERALL

VS COUNTERFEIT

Images from Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

WHAT IS BEING ADDED?

Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Cocaine and other synthetic drugs are some of the substances being added.

When counterfeit drugs are made, potentially harmful substances are mixed in with the drug you think you're getting. Since this is not done in a lab with scientific equipment, the substances aren't blended and the dosing is not precise. This means some pills may be made of 100% harmful additives, like Fentanyl, that can cause a deadly overdose, while others may have only a small amount. If it's fake, it can be a devastating mistake!