Cheap, counterfeit opioid pills containing fentanyl are thought to be fueling an increase in fatal drug overdoses across the Portland Metro region. The deaths include teens and other people who didn’t regularly use illicit drugs.

To address this accelerating trend, Tri-County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines today is issuing a warning against consuming any pill not obtained from a pharmacy. She urges people who use illicit drugs to take added precautions, and asks medical providers to highlight these risks. She also recommends anyone who uses drugs or knows someone who does, to carry multiple doses of the overdose-reversal drug naloxone (name-brand "Narcan").

“People should assume that any pill sold on the street contains fentanyl, no matter how authentic it might look, said Regional Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines. “Taking any pill laced with fentanyl can be fatal.”.....................

Read the full article here:  Multnomah County Public Health Announcement