The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a public alert regarding the sale of medications in Mexican pharmacies that may be contaminated with fentanyl and other narcotics.
The alert issued by health officials is based on a report in the Los Angeles Times, that warns about the sale of medicines in these stores that operate legitimately. However, their products contained illicit drugs such as fentanyl.
The statement from the health department indicates that 55 pills purchased in 29 pharmacies in eight Mexican cities were examined. More than half turned out to be false.
This Sunday is Father’s Day, but there are thousands who on that date will confront the irreparable void of having lost a child due to an accidental overdose of fentanyl.
“It’s been seen in Adderall, it’s been seen in Xanax, it’s been seen in opioids,” says Alberto Melena, executive director of the San Fernando Valley Partnership.
The LA Times report revealed that a third of 40 prescription opioid pain medications tested positive for fentanyl.
On the other hand, 12 of 14 samples of “Adderall” in containers that appeared to be sealed by Mexican laboratories contained methamphetamine and ecstasy.
“We are worried. We are hearing that more fake pills are being seen in various places”, says Melena.
“More accessible medicines”
The LA Times investigation was conducted at Mexican pharmacies in Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Tulum, Tijuana, Nuevo Progreso, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta.
“Well, I always bring pain medication for after we leave work. It’s heavy work here at the carwash,” says Tony Lozano, who buys medicines in Mexico.
This week, parents who lost their children after taking fake pills laced with Fentanyl sued the popular social network “Snapchat,” alleging that the social network made it easy for children to unknowingly obtain the drug pills, ending with their lives.
Like many Southern California residents, Lozano travels to Mexico frequently to buy pain relievers at border area pharmacies.
“We have to go looking for them in Mexico with the proximity to the border, it makes it a little more accessible, a little cheaper,” says Lozano.
Tips to avoid overdose
Health officials warn that fentanyl overdoses continue to rise, and not just affect those who use these substances frequently.
They recommend that they only buy medicines prescribed by a doctor and authorized by the United States Food Administration (FDA).
They also advise using test strips to detect the presence of fentanyl before taking them. You only need to dissolve a small amount of the medicine in water, dip the strip into the liquid and wait 15 seconds for the result.
According to the CDC, one of the most affected communities is the Latino. According to experts, 150 people die every day related to overdoses with fentanyl and other drugs.
To find out how these strips work and their results, Click here.
If people ingest these medicines, health authorities advise that they do so with a person who can monitor for symptoms of a possible overdose.
These symptoms include feeling unconscious or sedated, slow heart rate, slurred speech, and clammy skin.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should seek help immediately.
