Fake pressed Xanax bars are responsible for almost all Xanax-related fatalities in recent times. The fake pills are much cheaper than the real versions. The public should be aware that drugs obtained on the street, even though they look like real prescription pharmaceuticals, may be deadly. It is always unsafe to take a prescription drug unless it comes from your own prescription and is dispensed by a reputable pharmacy.
What is Xanax?
Xanax is a prescription medicine used to treat anxiety disorders and anxiety caused by depression. Xanax is also used to treat panic disorders with or without a fear of places and situations that might cause panic, helplessness, or embarrassment (agoraphobia).
Fake pressed Xanax bars are counterfeit Xanax which may be contaminated or contain the wrong or no active ingredient. They could have the right active ingredient but at the wrong dose. Most fake pressed Xanax bars contain fentanyl, a dangerous painkiller 80 times as potent as morphine and hundreds of times more potent than heroin. Xanax overdoses and fatalities occur mainly after overdose victims took counterfeit Xanax or opioids that contained fentanyl or fentanyl analogues.
Counterfeit Xanax is illegal and may be harmful to your health. For years, the number of counterfeit medications that have made their way into trusted pharmacies and subsequently to patients’ medicine cabinets has been on the rise. Imagine the scenario in which a patient takes a medication for a life-threatening illness, only to become aware later that the doses contained or end up with lethal doses of a completely different drug.
Sources of fake pressed Xanax bars
Increasing access to the Internet coupled with new methods of manufacturing and distributing illegal pharmaceuticals have created new challenges to safeguarding the legitimate pharmaceutical supply chain. Thousands of websites openly sell fake pressed Xanax bars, as well as prescription drugs without requiring a valid prescription, all in violation of federal and state laws.
Information from the World Health Organization indicates that more than 50% of counterfeit drugs are made in clandestine laboratories in China and India. According to the FDA, drug counterfeiting occurs less frequently in the U.S. than in other countries because of regulations that govern the production, prescribing, and sales of medications, and the strict enforcement against violators.
In the U.S., the purchase of medications from fraudulent online pharmacies is the major source of counterfeits. Counterfeit drugs also enter the U.S. through smuggling and are brought into the country by travelers who purchase the medication while on vacation or business trips.
How to Avoid Fake Drugs
While manufacturers of fake drugs may produce them to look just like the real ones, there are certain nuances that give them away. Here are proven ways to avoid purchasing counterfeit medicine:
Know your Drug. Do you know how a genuine Xanax medication looks like? This is the first step in avoiding a counterfeit medication – Visual inspection. When you receive your medication, pay attention to the physical details – the appearance of the drug, the packaging, and the instructions about its usage. Here are things to look out for when inspecting the drug.
Examine the package and check for any defects in its appearance. Is the lettering difficult to read? Are the prints flat rather than raised? Are the expiry dates missing? Is the batch number missing? Are there spelling errors? Are the manufacturer’s address and contact details missing? Are the manufacturer’s license and registration numbers missing? A positive response to these questions are clues that the medication may be fake.
Check for the security seal of the package. Drugs whose package seals have been broken or tampered with are more likely to be counterfeit.
Check for the drug’s registration number. A Xanax with no registration number of the appropriate drug agency (such as National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) number for drugs sold in Nigeria and the drug listing number or National drug code for drugs in the United States) is likely to be fake. Also, if this number is present but not clearly printed, it may be fake.
Check the appearance of the Xanax. Do not overlook unusual crystals on the wall of the containing bottle or on the tablet. These may be signs that the medication is counterfeit. Also, if the drug looks crushed, broken, or abraded, it may be fake. Furthermore, if you notice an abnormal discoloration on the tablet, this may also suggest foul play. Fake Xanax also have abnormal softening, hardening, or swelling.
Price of Xanax. The price may also be a sign that Xanax is fake. If you come across an unusually cheap brand of Xanax or a medication you use, the brand may be fake. Although some fake drugs may cost as much or even more than the genuine ones.
Buy from a Reputable Pharmacy. Chances are slim that you will be given a counterfeit drug from a reputable pharmacy. Avoid buying your medications from unregistered drug stores or open markets. The chances are very high that you will purchase a fake drug from these dealers. This is because these sources are unregulated and unsupervised, therefore, can easily partake in the fake drug business.
Online pharmacy stores are not exempted from this scrutiny. Ensure you order drugs from approved online pharmacies. Approved online pharmacy sites carry standard seals, such as the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) for online drug stores in the United States.
Report any Suspicious Drugs
If your drug tastes differently from previous ones you have used or if you develop unusual side effects such as allergic reactions, the drug may be counterfeit. If you have these concerns, discontinue the drug and report to your healthcare provider and contact your local drug control agency.
Drugs are designed to help us fight off illnesses and diseases but with counterfeits infiltrating the market, it may be difficult for people to get rid of these diseases. With the recommendations in this article, you not only increase your chances of buying standard, high-quality drugs, but you also reduce or even eliminate your chances of using counterfeit medications. This keeps you safe and healthy at all times. SEE: How To Spot Fake Green Xanax Bars [S 90 3 Fake]
