CONNECTICUT, USA — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is raising the alarm over the threat of fentanyl and its growing presence among street pills.
In an exclusive interview with FOX61, the DEA said a single pill, purchased illegally, can cause a deadly overdose, and the people getting these pills don't know what's in them before ingesting.
According to the DEA, eight out of 10 illicit street pills now likely contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, even if they’re being marketed as something else, like Xanax. Before 2024, that number was closer to seven out of 10 pills that could contain primarily Fentanyl.
DEA Agent David Lanzoni said Connecticut has become a hotspot for drugs coming in from two significant cartels in Mexico.
Lanzoni said the street pills are often sold as one thing but are just pressed powder Fentanyl. This is due to an overabundance of Fentanyl coming in, making it easier to access and cheaper than other pure drugs. It's a problem that is getting worse every year, according to Lanzoni.
“It was a different time then. Drugs were sold as what they were,” Lanzoni said. “When you asked for cocaine, you got cocaine, but now there’s a good chance you’re getting fentanyl instead."
Lanzoni said access to illegal drugs is also more accessible than ever before. Now, anyone can get ahold of drugs by using social media or mutual friends, even kids who are looking to experiment.
"They’re ordering Xanax on their phone, but it’s not pure; it’s fake and pressed into a similar-looking type of pill. Because of this, we are experiencing an unprecedented number of poisonings here in Connecticut and our country,” Lanzoni said.
With the rise in fentanyl-infused drugs, the street pill overdose statistics become more concerning every year.
“We lost over 109,000 people in the United States in 2023. Seventy percent of those deaths were fentanyl, and a lot were first-time users,” Lanzoni said.
Of those deaths, 1,500 were in Connecticut, which is about four people a day. Lanzoni said that the drug is "cross-pollinating" throughout all communities and ages.
Lisa Deane, a mother from Madison, said she knows the pain of overdose too well. Her son fatally overdosed on fentanyl in 2018.
“Joe is a wonderful kid. He was very embarrassed about his addiction. He did everything we asked him to do,” Deane said.
She said her son Joe began taking street pills early on, around age 16, with some friends.
“It was a love affair with drugs. No doubt he tried everything,” Deane said. “We tried it all; we were focused on saving his life 24/7.”
Joe died of an almost pure fentanyl overdose—his last-ever decision was taking that pill. Deane said she wasn’t sure if he meant to take something else, not realizing it was fentanyl.
“We always wondered what would’ve happened if he had a hard time finding the drugs. Maybe he would’ve thought about it and decided no, I’ll go home, but he didn’t,” Deane said.
Deane explained that her son bought the drugs on his phone; this is the same method DEA agents are warning parents about.
To cope with her son’s death, Deane started a nonprofit called Demand Zero to help the New Haven Police Department combat the drug market in the city.
Deane said the nonprofit raised money to purchase drug dogs and other equipment that helps get illicit drugs off the streets.
Deane said the organization’s goal is to help the police and educate people on how deadly pills can be.
You can donate or find out more about Demand Zero here.
---
MORE NEWS
---
Brooke Griffin is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at bgriffin@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Stream Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.