Fake Percocet Pills | How To Identify Counterfeit Percocet In Ohio

According to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, opioid use disorder and overdose deaths have become the single most pressing public health issue and workforce challenge facing the state today. 

Counterfeit pills, including Percocet, have become a concerning facet of this crisis—these illicit drugs may contain the synthetic opioid fentanyl and have been associated with numerous accidental drug overdose deaths.

Fake Percocet & Counterfeit Drugs In Ohio

Medications containing oxycodone are frequently abused for their euphoric properties and are habit-forming and addictive. As such, there is a high demand for diverted prescription opioids, and the pills likely command a high price on the street.

Many Ohio residents abuse prescription drugs but steer clear of illicit substances for fear of overdose or contamination. So, in response, drug dealers will sometimes manufacture and sell fake pills made to closely resemble legitimate and trusted drugs like Percocet or OxyContin.

Counterfeit oxycodone may contain heroin or, more likely, the highly potent illicit synthetic opioid drug fentanyl. 

Although fentanyl is cheap and highly euphoric, its potency is dangerous—a lethal dose can be as small as two milligrams of fentanyl (around the size of a few grains of salt), and even a miniscule error in pill production can result in fatal overdose.

Other Counterfeit Prescription Medications

Other commonly encountered fake pills in Ohio include:

• benzodiazepines like alprazolam (Xanax), which may be faked with fentanyl or experimental/designer drugs
• stimulants including Adderall (amphetamines), which are sometimes faked with methamphetamine
• MDMA (ecstasy), an illicit party drug faked with LSD, ketamine, fentanyl, meth, and other substances

How To Identify Counterfeit Percocet

Fake oxycodone pills and legitimate prescription pills can be difficult to tell apart without expertise, test kits, or laboratory testing. 

Generic versions of Percocet are likely circular or oval-shaped, white or colored, and imprinted with different codes depending on dosage and manufacture.

This gives drug traffickers a wide-range of templates to use, as counterfeit pills may or may not closely resemble legitimate medications. However, there are suspicious signs to watch out for, including:

• imprecise or uneven tablet imprinting, tablet shape, or color
• features in-line with brand name Percocet pills
• pills sold without prescription packaging
• pills sold singly or in small quantities
• pills sold in unusually large or bulk quantities
• pills sold online without a valid prescription

Ultimately, the only safe way to avoid opioid overdose is to only use medications prescribed to you by a healthcare provider and distributed by a legitimate pharmacy, and to only use these medications exactly as directed.

Any suspected fake pills should be turned over to law enforcement authorities.

Opioid Addiction Treatment

While naloxone (Narcan) may save a person’s life in the immediate aftermath of an accidental fentanyl overdose, there are no guarantees. And even if the victim survives, drug overdoses often leave lingering or even lifelong physical and mental scars.

If you have been struggling with prescription drug abuse, consider professional treatment.

At Ohio Recovery Center, we offer personalized, evidence-based care for drug abuse and addiction, including medical detoxification, inpatient care, mental health counseling, medication-assisted treatment, and behavioral therapy.

To learn more about how we can help, please contact us today.