DEA: Six out of ten street pills contain deadly fentanyl

The Placer County District Attorney’s Office is warning residents of the recent U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration study that found six out of ten street pills contain potentially deadly fentanyl – a 50% increase from the 2021 report. 

“We must operate under the assumption that any pills not obtained from your pharmacy and doctor should be considered lethal,” said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. “This new report truly underscores the deadliness of counterfeit pills and the need to continue the important conversations around the fentanyl crisis.”  

According to the DEA, more than 20.4 million fake prescription pills were seized in 2021. Earlier this year, the DEA conducted a nationwide operational surge to target the trafficking of fentanyl pills disguised as prescription pills and, in just over three months, seized 10.2 million fake pills in all 50 states.  

The Placer County District Attorney’s Office has continued to tackle the fentanyl crisis directly. From participating in the “1 Pill can Kill Placer” campaign, to publishing public service announcements, to aggressive enforcement and prosecution, to working on statewide legislation, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to fighting this deadly issue. 

Fentanyl is now the #1 killer of 18–45-year-olds, surpassing car accidents and suicides. Placer County saw a 450% increase in fentanyl deaths from 2019-2021, with have of those deaths being under the age of 25.  

Partnering with local school districts, the District Attorney’s Office has partnered with the 1 Pill Can Kill campaign to speak to parents and students at assemblies in local schools to them on the dangers of fentanyl. To date, the office has talked to over 25,000 Placer County students and the number is rapidly growing.  

The office has also worked with the campaign to purchase billboard space and to wrap city buses with fentanyl warnings.  In addition, the office launched a fentanyl podcast series and partnered with the Placer County Treasurer-Tax Collector and Placer County Document Solutions to place information about the dangers of fentanyl into 175,000 tax bills to take the message directly to homeowners in the county.   

Residents can learn more at 1PillcanKillPlacer.com and on the DA’s website at placer.ca.gov/FightingFentanyl