JACKSON – The Mississippi State Department of Health is warning residents about the risks of counterfeit pills, illicitly manufactured drugs and other psychoactive products obtained from unregulated or unverifiable sources.
MSDH said the drug environment is changing rapidly, with counterfeit medications and other psychoactive products increasingly sold in forms such as tablets, gummies, liquids and shots. Health officials said packaging, labeling and where a product is purchased may not reliably indicate what it contains.
“The most important message for Mississippians is that you cannot determine what is in an unregulated product simply by looking at it,” said Jon Hubanks, director of the Center for Injury Prevention & Recovery.
MSDH said counterfeit pills may be made to closely resemble legitimate prescription medications but can contain substances a person did not intend to take, including illegally manufactured fentanyl.
The department also pointed to concerns surrounding concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, products. According to MSDH, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned about concentrated 7-OH products sold in tablets, gummies, drink mixes and shots, including at gas stations, smoke shops and other retail locations.
MSDH said retail availability does not mean a psychoactive product is safe, approved or consistent in strength or contents.
The department is recommending that people take prescription medications only when prescribed and obtained from a licensed pharmacy, avoid unknown or unregulated substances and not rely on a pill’s appearance or packaging to determine whether it is legitimate.
MSDH also encouraged residents to keep naloxone available. Naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose, including one involving fentanyl.
Signs of a possible opioid overdose include difficulty waking or responding, slow or stopped breathing, choking or gurgling sounds, blue or gray lips or fingernails and pinpoint pupils.
If an overdose is suspected, MSDH advises administering naloxone if available and calling 911 immediately.
The department said naloxone is available at no cost to Mississippi residents and can be requested online through MSDH. Overdose prevention resources are also available through ODfree.org.
MSDH cautioned against trying to identify a substance involved in an overdose based only on social media reports, appearance, packaging or product names. Officials said laboratory testing, toxicology and further investigation may be needed to determine what substance or combination of substances contributed to an illness or death.
“Our message is not about one drug, one product or one emerging substance,” Hubanks said. “It is about recognizing that the drug environment is changing.”
More information about naloxone, overdose prevention and substance use disorder resources is available through the Mississippi State Department of Health.
