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• Position: HEADS UP: REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY - Counterfeit synthetic drugs

You probably know that drugs that don't come from a pharmacy or other legal distributor can be dangerous. But they also may not be what they seem.

IN RECENT YEARS, emergency room doctors have reported a growing number of overdoses related to the use of certain types of synthetic drugs. Most drugs--even the ones that help people--are synthetic, which means that they're produced by mixing and creating chemicals in laboratories. The ones that are prescribed by doctors and bought in pharmacies or other legal retailers are tested to make sure that they are safe.

But now synthetic drugs are also being made in illegal or unregulated laboratories, mostly in foreign countries. The makers of these drugs create chemicals that act like other drugs, such as marijuana or prescription pain medications. The drugs are then sold on the street, online, or in gas stations or other stores, and are often marked with misleading labels.

While many drugs pose a risk for addiction and overdose if they are misused, these counterfeit synthetic drugs can carry additional risks. There is no way to know what chemicals the drugs contain or in what amounts. A product bought on the street or online may look the same as a familiar drug. It may even look identical to a pill a person would buy in a pharmacy. But the drugs can contain completely different chemicals and be much more powerful, and potentially deadly.

Read the sidebar below to learn more about the dangers of counterfeit synthetic drugs.

Bottom line: Never take any prescription drug that is not prescribed for you and is not bought in a pharmacy.

DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS

OPIOIDS Example: Fentanyl

Opioids are powerful drugs that doctors prescribe to relieve pain. They can be extremely addictive and even deadly if they are misused. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is much stronger than other opioids. It is prescribed only to treat extreme pain in patients with cancer or following surgery.

Recently, there has been a rise in the illegal production of fentanyl. Illegally made fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs or hidden in fake prescription medications that are sold on the street. Users may not know they are taking it.

A surge in deadly overdoses related to opioids has been linked in part to products that contain hidden fentanyl. It is never safe to take prescription drugs that are not prescribed for you or that are bought anywhere other than at an official pharmacy because you don't know what chemicals they really contain.

CANNABINOIDS Examples: Spice, K2

Often called...