Understanding Opioids
and the Risks of Misuse

Prescription Drug Misuse

Misusing prescription drugs means taking medication that isn’t prescribed to you or using it in higher doses or more frequently than directed. Prescription drugs are only safe when taken as prescribed.

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83% of East Windsor students (grades 9-12) think prescription drug use is harmful. In fact, only 2.7% of East Windsor teens admit to misusing prescription drugs. Among those who misuse, 100% obtain them from family or friends' houses.
 

Commonly Misused Prescription Drugs:

• Opioid Pain Relievers (e.g., OxyContin, Vicodin)

• Depressants (e.g., Xanax, Valium)

• Stimulants (e.g., Adderall, Ritalin)
   

Prevent misuse by safely storing and disposing of medications. Keep all medications in a locked cabinet or lockbox and properly dispose of unused medications. [Will include links to disposal and safe storage resources.]

 

Fentanyl: The Leading Cause of Overdose Deaths

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is the leading cause of overdose deaths in Connecticut and the U.S. In 2021, it was responsible for more deaths than gun violence and car accidents combined. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) is frequently mixed into substances like cocaine and pressed into counterfeit pills resembling Xanax, OxyContin, and Adderall. Increasingly, Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, is being mixed into fake pills. This is particularly dangerous because it is not an opioid which means it doesn’t respond to Naloxone, the overdose reversal drug. 

• As of 2024 5 out of 10 counterfeit pills tested for fentanyl contained a potentially lethal dose.

• 77% of overdose deaths in Connecticut in 2024 were linked to fentanyl.

• 342 deaths (34.7%) in 2024 involved both xylazine and fentanyl.

• In 2024 overdose rates were highest among individuals aged 35-64 
   

Fentanyl is deadly in doses as small as 2mg—smaller than a pencil tip. Learn more about counterfeit pills and how to protect your family at YouThinkYouKnowCT.org.