Police say they are fake prescription drugs being sold on the streets and it could cost people their lives.
Quincy police have a warning out after four overdoses in the city just within 24 hours this past weekend.
Drug dealers are selling prescription pills laced with potentially deadly opioids.
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Police said the problem is only getting worse, with people in Quincy thinking they are taking ADHD medication or painkillers, when really they are swallowing potentially lethal doses of fentanyl or xylazine.
“A tiny amount of fentanyl could be fatal,” Capt. Daniel Guarente said.
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Just a few days ago in Quincy, first responders were called to four different overdose scenes throughout the city within 24 hours. Three of those 911 calls were made within the same hour.
“We’ve seen an uptick in fatal overdoses and we believe fentanyl and xylazine contributed to that,” Guarente said.
Quincy police said the city saw 19 overdose deaths last year. This year they have already reached 19 deaths as of last week, with about three months left to go in 2023. On the state level, opioid-related overdose deaths have been in the rise since 2019, according to data from the Department of Public Health.
“The problem is getting worse because there are so many pills out there,” Guarente said.
Police continue warning about fake prescription drugs through social media as they continue making busts and enforcing drug laws in the city.
All four of the people who overdosed, in their 20s or 30s, this past weekend survived, according to police.
