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Poison Control Helpline: 1-800-222-1222

Over the last couple of days the Georgia Poison Center (GPC) and other agencies have received multiple reports of overdoses from Central and South Georgia. Patients are being found unconscious or unresponsive with difficulty breathing or no breathing at all.

The leading cause of injury deaths in the Unites States is drug overdoses. Heroin, morphine and prescription drug abuse has become a serious public health issue and people are not aware of how big this issue really is.

It’s suspected that patients are obtaining counterfeit pills believing it to be Percocet (an opioid pain medication). Aggressive life support measures are being employed to counteract the effects to manage these cases. Further testing is being done to identify the ingredients in these pills.

The Georgia Poison Center is currently working closely with the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency and other state and federal partners in the investigation involving these overdoses.

Press Releases:

June 27, 2017 Georgia Bureau of Investigation – GBI Crime Lab Identifies Two New Fentanyl Analogues
June 19, 2017 AAPCC – June 2017 Deadly Novel Synthetic Opioid Exposure Outbreak in Georgia – A Case Study in the Crucial Surveillance Role of Regional Poison Control Centers
June 8, 2017 Georgia Bureau of Investigation – GBI Crime Lab Testing Overdoses Related to Counterfeit Pills
June 7, 2017 The Georgia Department of Public Health – Update: Hospitalizations and Deaths Possibly Tied to Street Drugs Being Sold in Georgia
June 6, 2017 The Georgia Department of Public Health – Hospitalizations and Deaths Possibly Tied to Street Drugs Being Sold in Georgia

Informational Video:

The “Prescription Drug Abuse: Preventing Prescription Drug Overdoses” webinar was created utilizing a collaborative effort between Dr. Pat O’Neal, MD, Director of Health Protection with the Georgia Department of Public Health, Gregg Raduka, Ph.D. LPC, ICPS, Director of Prevention/Intervention with The Council on Alcohol and Drugs and John Bringuel, MA, ICPS, Statewide Project Director of the Georgia Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Initiative via The Council on Alcohol and Drugs.

In the News:

June 26, 2017

Fox5 – Marietta Police issue opioid warning to public

June 23, 2017

Atlanta Journal Constitution – DEA: N. Fulton woman detained; sold fentanyl to undercover agents
WSBTV – Woman accused of selling potent pills from home

June 22, 2017

WTXL – Almost 50 overdoses suspected from fake Percocet

June 15, 2017

EMS1 – Deadly chemicals in Ga. counterfeit pill outbreak identified

June 13, 2017

Atlanta Black Star – Fake Percocet Pills Blamed for String of Deadly Overdoses In Georgia in Matter of Days
The Telegraph – Synthetic opioids identified in toxic street pills; drugs ‘Georgia has never seen’

June 12, 2017

11Alive – Mexican drug cartels could be behind deadly fake Percocet pills
Atlanta Journal Constitution – Middle Georgia overdose deaths increased to five
CBS46 – Fifth possible death from fake Percocet pills
Pain News Network – Fifth Georgia Overdose Linked to Fake Percocet
WLTX – Drug Cartels Could Be Behind Deadly Fake Drugs in Georgia

June 11, 2017

Atlanta Journal Constitution – Another overdose in Georgia related to fake Percocet pills
WSBTV – Another overdose case in Georgia related to fake Percocet pills

June 10, 2017

MDJOnline – Authorities: Counterfeit drugs a rising trend across Georgia
The Albany Herald – Street drug cluster in Georgia reflective of ongoing opioid crisis
The Telegraph – Let’s dace it, opioid abuse is here, too

June 9, 2017

ActionNewsJax – Georgia officials seeing ‘dramatic increase’ in opioid abuse
Fox News – Source of Georgia street drug that killed as many as 4 people still unknown
MyAJC – More hospitalized in Middle Georgia with suspected overdoses
Seeker – How Drug Forensics Work to Solve Overdose Mysteries
TheFix – Mystery Pill Kills Four, Hospitalizes 30 in Georgia

June 8, 2017

12WRDW-TV – Synthetic opioids reach central Georgia
41WMGT – GBI Finds “New” Fentanyl in fake pills blamed for middle Georgia overdoses
Bangor Daily News – They look like prescription drugs, but they’re actually deadly poison
Blasting News – Mysterious drug overdose kills 4 in Georgia
CBS46 – 4 dead, dozens hospitalized in massive overdose linked to mystery pill
Fox5 – GBI releases initial results of new drug causing overdoses in Middle Georgia
Fox6Now – Unknown opioid found in counterfeit pain pills
MedPageToday – Morning Break: Amazon Pharmacy; New Opioid Weapon; Drug Coupon Ploy
Newnan Times-Herald – Multiple overdoses reported in middle Georgia over three days
Patch – Georgia Officials Find Potent New Form Of Fentanyl in Mass Overdoses
PennLive – Big Overdose cluster being blamed on mystery concoction sold as opioid painkiller
St. Augustine Record – Georgia authorities: They look like prescription drugs, but they’re actually deadly poison
Tech Times – Drug Overdose Crisis in Georgia: What are these Deadly Yellow Pills?
Tech Times – US Opioid Epidemic Poses Potentially Deadly Threats to First Responders
The Herald – They look like prescription drugs, but they’re actually deadly poison, authorities say
The Valdosta Daily Times – Opioid Crisis: Valdosta spared from fatal drug outbreak so far
Valdosta Today – Local Police on High Alert After Massive Overdose in Georgia
WebMD – Unknown Street Drug Linked to Four Deaths in Georgia
WDAZ – Overdose cluster in Georgia linked to mystery pill
WREG Memphis – Overdose cluster in Georgia linked to mystery pill
WSB Radio – 4 dead, 30 in hospital after mass overdose
WSBTV – Pills that caused mass overdose contain deadly fentanyl, GBI says
WTXL – Opioid overdoses hit closer to home after Monroe County man dies
WXIA – GBI reveals preliminary test results on lethal ‘yellow pills’

June 7, 2017

11Alive – How to tell the difference between fatal ‘yellow pills’ and real percocet
11th Hour – Poison Pill Overdoses Could Be “The Sniffles Before the Flu”
13WMAZ – Verify: Can you buy Narcan over the counter?
41NBC News – Suspected opioid overdoses leads to 4 deaths in 48 hours in Middle Georgia
41WMGT – Coliseum Medical Centers Reaching Out As Opioid Overdoses Kill Four
41WMGT – Six Additional Overdoses in Middle Georgia, Possibly Linked to Fake Percocet
Action News Jax – Six more overdoses possibly related to fake Percocet reported in Georgia
American Pharmacist – Death toll rises in mass overdose in middle Georgia
AZFamily – 4 dead, dozens hospitalized in massive overdose linked to mystery pill
Becker’s Hospital Review – Mystery opioid linked to dozens of overdoses, 4 deaths in Georgia
EMS1 – Street drug blamed for deaths, overdoses in Ga.
Fox News – 6 new cases reported in massive overdose in Georgia
HipHopDX – Fake Percocet Pills Cause Fatal Georgia Overdoses
Immortal News – Drugs Masquerading As Painkillers Cause Overdoses In Georgia
MY AJC – Georgia overdose deaths jump as opioid crisis deepens: Interactive Map
NY Daily News – Georgia investigating spate of opioid painkiller overdoses
Outbreak News Today – Georgia reports overdoses possibly linked to street drugs
Patch – Georgia Officials Report 6 More Cases of Overdoses
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Death toll rises in opioid overdoses in Georgia
Rolling Out – People dying as mass overdose crisis hits Georgia
Sillyid International Daily Magazine – Pill Overdoses in Georgia Kill Two People and Hospitalizes Dozens
The Telegraph – Life-saving drug absent in Macon pharmacies amid apparent opioid epidemic
Tech Times – Drug Overdose Kills 4 in Georgia, Authorities Blame Unknown Yellow Pills
The Washington Post – They look like prescription drugs, but they’re actually deadly poison, Georgia authorities say
The Week – Unidentified drug causes dozens of overdoses in Georgia
USA Today – Mysterious drug leaves four dead in Georgia
WIAT – Street drug blamed for deaths, many overdoses in Georgia
WLTZ – Drug Overdoses in Georgia
WRBL – Fake street drugs in Georgia
WRCBTV – Opioid crisis batters Georgia as suspicious Percocet kills two
WSBTV – Crime lab investigates hundred of cases involving fake pills
WTOC – More overdoses potentially linked to unknown drug in Georgia
WTSP – How to tell the difference between fatal ‘yellow pills’ and real Percocet
WTXL – 4 dead, several hospitalized after mass drug overdose in Central Georgia
YourErie – New deadly drugs make their way toward Pennsylvania

June 6, 2017

11Alive – Wave of overdoses leave 4 dead, dozens hospitalized in Georgia
ABC7 Chicago – Stats show ‘War on Drugs’ being lost
Albany Herald – Powerful, deadly street drug hits Georgia, including Albany
Atlanta Journal Constitution – Death toll rises in mass overdose in Middle Georgia
Blasting News – Georgia sees two dead and dozens hospitalized from mass drug overdoses
CBS News – Unknown street drug blamed for deaths, dozens of overdoses in Georgia
COED – Georgia Mass Overdose: Full Story & Must-See Details
Digital Journal – Four dead and dozens of overdoses as new drug hits middle Georgia
Fox 6 – Overdose cluster in Georgia linked to mystery pill: “Who’s putting this poison in the community?”
Fox News – 4 dead, dozens hospitalized in massive overdose, Georgia authorities say
Gwinnett Daily Post – Mass overdose leaves 4 dead, at least a dozen hospitalized in middle Georgia
Ledger-Enquirer – Columbus clinic highlights warnings on overdoses from using yellow Percocet
MyAJC – Georgia officials dear death toll may rise in opioid overdose outbreak
News4JAX – Street drug blamed for deaths, many overdoses in Georgia
Newsline – ' Yellow pills' cause mass overdose in Georgia, police say
News Channel 9 – Dozens hospitalized in connection to wave of drug overdoses in Georgia in 48 hours
NewYork Daily News – Four dead, dozens hospitalized in string of overdoses across Georgia
Patch – Wave of Overdoses Kills 4, Sickens A Dozen In Georgia
Reuters – Georgia investigating spate of opioid painkiller overdoses
Savannah Now: Savannah Morning News – Georgia warns about tainted street drugs
WLTX – Wave of Overdoses in Georgia Kills 2, Leaves Dozens Hospitalized
WSB Radio – 4 dead, at least a dozen hospitalized after mass overdose in Georgia
WSB Radio – GA health officials warn public about drug that led to mass overdose