Opioid Drug Overdose Spike Seen In Williamson County

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — County officials have detected a recent spike in opioid drug overdoses — a nearly five-fold increase centered on counterfeit pills — officials revealed on Friday.

Williamson County officials said nearly all of the pills fueling the overdose spike are blue and round with the letter M on one side. Officials said in a news release that the pills are are counterfeit oxycodone 30 mg pills and are commonly pressed, containing a dangerous amount of illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

At least one of the samples in the area has tested positive for fentanyl, officials added. There have been 13 overdoses involving pressed oxycodone this month, officials added. In a subsequent email sent to Patch, a county spokesperson said two additional overdoses were reported on Friday, bringing the number up to 15 involving pressed oxycodone this month.

The other pills are white and rectangular with three score marks on one side. They are pressed to look like Xanax 2 mg “bars,” officials added. According to county officials, these pills are presumed to contain illicitly manufactured fentanyl, as the overdose was reversed by naloxone. Thus far, there has only been one such incident involving pressed Xanax this month.

Fentanyl is a potent opioid that is approximately 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl overdose can cause rapid loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest.

Officials noted that Naloxone (trade name Narcan) can reverse a fentanyl overdose if administered in a timely manner following the overdose. Texas law (TX SB 1462) allows anyone to possess and administer naloxone in a presumed opioid overdose. In April 2018, the U.S. surgeon general released an advisory urging more Americans to learn how to use naloxone and carry the life-saving medication.

In light of the overdose spike, individuals seeking to obtain a Narcan kit and training are urged to call the Williamson County Mobile Outreach Team at (512) 864-8277.

To learn more about how individuals can recognize and respond to an opioid overdose, visit https://www.hhs.gov/opioids/treatment/overdose-response. For information on how to get help for addiction, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or go to https://www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov to locate a treatment center.