Pressed Pills

1. Unknown Ingredients

One of the most concerning aspects of pressed pills is that users have no way of knowing what’s inside them. These pills can contain anything from benign fillers to lethal substances, and there’s no way to tell by sight alone. A pill that looks like an Oxycodone tablet might contain fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine. Even a small amount of fentanyl can be deadly, especially if someone is unaware of its presence.

2. Overdose Risk

The inconsistency in ingredients and dosages in pressed pills significantly increases the risk of overdose. Since these pills are not regulated, one tablet may contain a small amount of an active substance, while another could be loaded with a dangerously high dose. Many fatal overdoses are linked to pressed pills containing fentanyl, which can depress the central nervous system to the point of respiratory failure.

3. Lack of Medical Benefits

Pressed pills are often marketed as anxiety relievers, painkillers, or stimulants like the medications they mimic, but they lack the safety and efficacy of regulated medications. Legitimate prescription drugs are carefully formulated to provide therapeutic effects with minimal risk when used correctly. In contrast, pressed pills are designed purely for profit, with no regard for safety or effectiveness, making them unreliable and potentially dangerous.

4. Increased Potency

In addition to containing unknown substances, pressed pills may be intentionally made more potent than their legitimate counterparts to increase their perceived value. This often includes mixing opioids like fentanyl or carfentanil into pills marketed as Xanax or Adderall, leading to severe effects and raising the overdose risk even further. Even those with a high tolerance to certain drugs can be at risk due to the unpredictable potency.