Fake Pills Can Kill
How to help teens understand the risk posed by counterfeit prescription pills
HELLO!
Happy December. and I have been staying up late recently, polishing up the chapters of our book “Talk To Your Boys” before we send them off to our editor in New York. The book is coming along so well, and I can’t wait for your to see it. We’re aiming for a publication date in October 2025 - I’ll share a pre-order link as soon as I have one!
In today’s newsletter, I’m highlighting updated resources from a project that is close to my heart. I’m on the Content Advisory Board for TheNewDrugTalk.org, a website and resource hub designed to help adults talk to young people about fentanyl and its prevalence in fake prescription pills.
While doing this work, I’ve met several families who’ve lost children to counterfeit medications, and I’ve become convinced that we need to do everything we can to educate others about this issue. I hope you can take some time to explore and share these resources.
Big love,
Christopher
What Teens Need To Know About Fentanyl
A new study commissioned by Song for Charlie in Summer 2024 has some interesting findings about fentanyl:
81% of teens have heard about fentanyl, and 79% view the drug as very dangerous, yet 45% of teens are unaware that fentanyl is being use to create fake pills, and 10% of teens have tried a pharmaceutical pill without a prescription.
Pills might seem safe because they’re perceived as medication, but in the age of fentanyl and fake pills, that perception can be deadly.
New Public Service Announcements
The New Drug Talk just released two new public service campaigns to raise awareness among parents and caregivers about the dangers of fentanyl and fake pills. The two PSAs feature nearly two dozen Oregonians (Oregon is disproportionately impacted by this issue), including high school students and parents. Learn more about this campaign.
Clear Messages To Share With Youth
At TheNewDrugTalk.org, you can get practical tips about what to say to teens. Here’s one example of how to they suggest sharing your concerns about fake pills:
Teens and young adults sometimes try to get medications like Xanax or Percocet through social media, or from their friends. Unfortunately, these pills frequently contain fentanyl.
Fentanyl is so strong that many people have died from taking just one pill, including numerous teenage victims.
Fentanyl can be lethal in microgram quantities. It’s so powerful that a dose that’s a tenth of the size of a grain of sand can have an effect. It’s impossible to detect fentanyl with the naked eye.
Here’s a simple and clear message to share with a young person:
“Please do not take pills unless they are prescribed to you and you get them directly from a pharmacy. It’s just too risky.”
How To Talk To Your Child About Fentanyl
The New Drug Talk site includes a number of interactive scenarios designed to help adults get more comfortable talking about this drug, and includes these tips for starting the discussion:
Learning how to talk to your child about fentanyl can give you the tools you need to empower your child. Making safe choices often comes from understanding the dangers and risks involved. By openly discussing fentanyl with your child, you provide them with valuable knowledge and strategies to make informed decisions.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that relieves pain. It can be highly addictive, powerful, and potentially lethal. Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin.
Research shows that telling kids to “just say no” doesn’t work. Accurate information and preparedness are the best precautions against dangerous drug-related situations.
It’s OK to admit you’re not sure. Involve your child and look for information together as a team. A great place to start is: TheNewDrugTalk.org
Avoid blaming or dismissing people who use drugs. If your child thinks only reckless or stupid people could ever have a problem with addiction or overdose, they may never consider that they, too, could find themselves in a dangerous drug-related situation.
Cheaply and illicitly made, potentially lethal “fentapills” containing fentanyl are disguised as prescription pills and traded on the streets, in public places, and with strangers online. Of illegal pills containing fentanyl seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration, 70% of them contained a lethal dose.
If your child might be a witness to opioid use, encourage them to acquire, carry, and learn to administer naloxone. It could save someone's life.
Going Deeper - Conversation Tips
Once you’ve shared some basic information, you child may have questions, or you may want to talk more. The site has lots of tools to help adults have techniques for productive conversations with your child, and answers to common questions like “What if a young person asks about your experience with drugs?” or “How can a game help you talk with your kids about fentanyl?”
Watch The 30-minute Film
The New Drug Talk also put together this short film, which provides an excellent overview of all the issues with the fake pills. You can watch it at home, in a classroom, or anywhere else caring adults are coming together.
Recent Teen Health Today Highlights
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How To Get Better At Talking About Sex And Sexuality
There are SO MANY great resources to help you get past the awkwardness and start really having the talks
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Thank you for continuing to highlight this issue! I will share.
One thing I'll add: Talk to kids about *appropriate* uses of fentanyl too. One of my teens kinda freaked out when he was told (by an anesthesiologist) that he'd be given fentanyl as part of a surgical procedure. Yes, fentanyl is dangerous and kids should NEVER take pills they haven't been prescribed b/c too many of them have fentanyl in them & can kill. And, fentanyl can be an incredibly useful drug when used appropriately -- prescribed, monitored, under medical supervision.