The number of overdoses among adolescents aged 10 to 18 more than doubled in the United States between 2019 and 2021, according to a study published Thursday by US health authorities. In particular, they warned about the risks of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
The average monthly rate of adolescent overdose increased by 109% between 2019 and 2021, according to this work from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And the number of illegally manufactured fentanyl overdoses has increased by 182%.
Illegal drug use among adolescents decreased overall during this period, suggesting that this increase in deaths was likely caused by “more potent drugs,” not more frequent use, the study notes.
counterfeit pills
Fentanyl, an ultra-potent and addictive synthetic opioid, is easy to produce cheaply in the laboratory. This drug has gradually flooded the US market.
According to the study, about a quarter of teen overdoses were linked to counterfeit pills, often disguised as oxycodone (a pain reliever) or alprazolam (an anxiolytic sometimes known by the brand name Xanax). This percentage is probably an underestimate, as the pills found at the overdose site are not always tested.
“The proliferation of counterfeit pills that look like prescription drugs but actually contain illegally manufactured fentanyl, and the ease with which these pills can be purchased on social media have increased the risk of fatal overdose among adolescents,” health authorities warned. .
“It is not clear if the adolescents were trying to take drugs that they thought were genuine or if they knew they were counterfeits,” they added.
A total of 1,808 adolescent overdoses were reported between July 2019 and December 2021 in 31 American states and the capital of the country, whose data could be analyzed.
Source: BFM TV
