Opioids are the main driver of drug overdose deaths in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency says 82% of opioid-involved overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids.
But could you spot the difference between a prescription pill from a pill that is laced with a lethal amount of fentanyl?
The Rhode Island Department of Health posted pictures of four blue pills to show how similar they look.
Can you spot the counterfeit pill? We can't either. Counterfeit #opioids look the same as prescription opioids and can contain lethal #fentanyl. Learn how to stay safer to #PreventOverdoseRI: https://t.co/mOR1UAMtKa pic.twitter.com/KC8E55tK2f
— Rhode Island Department of Health (@RIHEALTH) January 24, 2023
All the pills feature the letter "M" and the number "30." The health department said it can't tell which pills were legally manufactured.
The department linked to information about how to prevent a fatal overdose. It notes that Naloxone is the only medication that can stop an opioid overdose. The department also noted that fentanyl test strips are available. They can be used to test whether drugs have been mixed or cut with fentanyl.