Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and/or other dangerous additives have been found in Boulder County.
Boulder County Public Health is warning the public that tainted counterfeit pills, including name brand pills made to look like Oxycodone (M/30), Xanax, etc. are in Boulder County. These pills are designed to look like legitimate pills but are made with ingredients that may contain fentanyl or other dangerous additives that can cause serious medical complications or can lead to death.
These illegally manufactured counterfeit drugs have been recently seized locally in Boulder County. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Of counterfeit pills tested in Drug Enforcement Administration laboratories, one in four pills made with fentanyl contained a potentially lethal dose. A kilogram of fentanyl can contain 500,000 potentially lethal doses.
Please review the following prevention recommendations:
- Carry Narcan. Narcan can revive and save lives, but always call 911 if you suspect someone has overdosed. Colorado has the Good Samaritan Law; you will not be charged with a crime if you call 911. You could be charged if you leave the scene.
- Never use drugs alone. You can’t be saved if you are alone.
- Unless you picked up your own prescription at the pharmacy, don’t trust the strength.
- Start small with a low dose. You can always add more but you can’t subtract.
- Test your drugs using fentanyl strips. However, if it doesn’t alert to fentanyl it doesn’t mean it’s not there, it can still be in another untested part of the pill or another unknown synthetic.
If you, friend, or family member know or suspect someone is using these pills, please advise them to carry Narcan. Narcan is available for free at Boulder County Public Health, CU students’ Wardenburg Health Center, local pharmacies without a prescription and is covered by most insurance plans. Read Boulder County Public Health's full press release here.
For behavioral health resources in Broomfield, including substance use resources, visit Broomfield.org/MHResources.