A new study examining the impact of the ongoing opioid crisis found that, on average, six people a day died from opioid overdoses during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario. The study, published Wednesday in the JAMA Open Network, tracked opioid deaths among those 15 years and older in Ontario across three separate six-month periods, from January 2018 to September 2020.
In the United States, nearly 841,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. In 2019, 70,630 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States. The age-adjusted rate of overdose deaths increased by over 4% from 2018 (20.7 per 100,000) to 2019 (21.6 per 100,000). Most of these overdoses were linked to Fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Drug dealers are producing fake pills laced with fentanyl because it takes very little to produce a high with fentanyl, making it a cheaper option. This is especially risky when people taking drugs don’t realize they might contain fentanyl as a cheap but dangerous additive. They might be taking stronger opioids than their bodies are used to and can be more likely to overdose. Mortalities due to fentanyl derivatives are on the rise with novel fentanyl analogues wrecking havoc on a global scale.
What is G3722 pill?
The white rectangular pill with the imprint G 3722 has been identified as Alprazolam 2 mg supplied by Greenstone Limited. The term G3722 is colloquially referenced by recreational abusers of the drug.
Alprazolam belongs to the class of medicines called benzodiazepines. G3722 pill is used for the short-term symptomatic relief of excessive anxiety. It is also used to treat generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Alprazolam works by slowing down the brain (central nervous system). This pill is classified as a Schedule 4 controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act (CSA).
How to Spot Fake G3722 Pill
As a consumer, you may not have access to most of the test equipment used by regulatory bodies to verify the identity of a drug product. The following tips will serve as a guide to purchasing genuine G3722 Xanax bars and help you avoid fakes;
Visual inspection
Visual inspection as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO) (1999) still remains the first step in identifying potential fake drug irrespective of the analytical methods used. This is because such observation serves as a lead to identifying fake products even in the absence of the knowledge of the physical characteristics of a genuine drug product. You are expected to examine carefully both the package and its content before purchase or use.
Visual inspection of the Package
You should:
- Examine the package and check if it appears suspicious or different from what you previously know.
- Check if the security seal has been tampered with by looking for breaks or tears in the sealing tape and seals.
- Look for unusual fonts, font sizes, print color, and spelling errors.
- Check the legibility of the information on both the primary and secondary packages.
- Check if the batch number, expiry date and manufacturer’s address on the secondary package are the same with that on the primary package.
- Check if the manufacturer’s address is traceable, that is, if it contains the exact location of the company and not just the country address.
- Check if the registration number (FDA number as the case is for products marketed or sold in United States) is properly printed or if it appears to be tampered with.
Visual inspection of the Dosage form
At this stage, you are meant to Check for differences in the physical appearance (color uniformity, size, shape, consistency etc.) of the drug. As stated by WHO, commonly encountered physical defects that should be looked out for in tablets include:
- Excessive powder and/or pieces of tablets at the bottom of the container (from abraded, crushed, or broken tablets);
- Cracks or chips in the tablets, swelling, mottling, discoloration, fusion of tablets;
- The appearance of crystal on the walls of the container or on the tablet.
- Hardening or softening, cracking, swelling, mottling, or discoloration of the capsule shell should also be looked out for.
Source
The source of the drug also determines if you are buying a fake Xanax bar or not. Buying Mexican G3722 Xanax exposes you to a lot of risks. Filling your prescription in a reputable pharmacy greatly reduces your chances of buying fake drugs while buying from illiterate and unqualified vendors who hawk drugs in buses, motor parks, and in the streets increases your chances of buying fake drugs.
Price
This is another way of identifying real G3722 Xanax. If the price is far cheaper than what is expected, then you have to think twice. However, this may not always be true, especially for some products (fake innovator/generic brands) which may be sold at the same price as genuine one.
Unexpected side effect
Counterfeit G3722 Xanax most of the time contains substances other than the appropriate Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API). They may contain incorrect substances, improper dosage, or hazardous substances like Fentanyl which produce unusual side effects, and worsening medical conditions after taking it. The medication should be stopped once any of the above is noticed.
Fentanyl Test
Fentanyl testing is one of the most reliable ways of telling a fake from a real G3722 Xanax. A new University of Maryland study found fentanyl tops the list of drugs detected in overdose patients at two Baltimore hospital emergency departments. The finding suggests that hospitals and medical systems throughout the United States consider adding fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid linked to most fatal overdoses in Maryland, to their routine drug testing panels. That is the conclusion of researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland, College Park. Currently, fentanyl is not routinely included in these panels nationwide. The procedure described below can help law enforcement agents and public health officials to pick out fentanyl-laced powders and pills.
Steps
- Crush the pill or pour the powder into a clean bowl or test tube
- Add ¼ inch of clean water to the powder in the tube or bowl and mix properly
- Dip the end of the test strip into the residue for 15 seconds, remove it, and lay it on a clean flat surface
- Check the strip after 5 minutes, (manufacturer’s directions) results may be visible sooner: One line means fentanyl (positive) Two lines mean no fentanyl (negative) * If the strip does not either have one or two lines, the test is invalid.
According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, consumers who purchase medications online should avoid the following: sites that are located outside of the U.S. that do not indicate any physical address; sites that do not have a license by the relevant State Boards of Pharmacy; sites without a licensed pharmacist to answer questions; and websites that do not require a prescription.
Consumers who wish to purchase drugs over the Internet should look for websites that have the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites seal. These sites, which are created by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, are licensed pharmacies selling FDA-approved medications to discourage the sale of counterfeit drugs from illegitimate online sources.
Source: Meds Safety
