Heading to the U.S. This Summer? What Every Teen Needs to Know About Fentanyl
As some students make their way back to the U.S. this summer, we must talk about one serious risk: fentanyl.
At Prevention Ed, we work in international schools where American teens often have limited exposure to the realities of the U.S. opioid crisis. But fentanyl is now the leading cause of drug-related deaths among teens in the United States. In 2022, 22 high school students died each week from overdoses, many caused by counterfeit pills.
And these pills are showing up in places most students would never expect.
This isn’t about fear. It’s about facts. Here’s what every U.S. teen and every parent should know before heading back to the States for summer.
Myth-Busting: No, Cannabis Isn’t Being Laced with Fentanyl
One of the most common questions we hear from U.S. parents is:
“How do I keep my kid safe from fentanyl?”
Followed by:
“Isn’t marijuana being laced with it?”
The answer is no.
This misinformation continues to spread online, but here’s the reality:
There are zero confirmed cases of fatal overdoses from fentanyl-laced cannabis.
Fentanyl is not commonly used to lace vapes or cannabis products.
Fentanyl is not lethal to touch; it only poses a risk if consumed.
This kind of misinformation distracts from the real risk and prevents adults from giving young people accurate, potentially lifesaving information.
The #1 Way Teens Encounter Fentanyl: Counterfeit Pills
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, similar to heroin, but about 50 times stronger. Most teens aren’t seeking it out. They’re encountering it accidentally in counterfeit pills made to look like real medications.
These fake pills are designed to resemble legitimate prescriptions like Xanax, Percocet, or Oxycodone. They’re nearly impossible to distinguish from the real thing, but they’re far more dangerous.
Just two milligrams, roughly the size of a few grains of salt can be fatal.
Where Are Teens Getting Fentanyl?
Parents and educators often ask us: How are teens even accessing these pills?
The answer: their phones.
According to Song for Charlie, a nonprofit focused on fake pill awareness, platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok have become key channels for drug distribution. With just a few emojis or search terms, teens can find dealers advertising pills that look like anxiety meds or pain medication, but are often laced with fentanyl.
Snapchat, in particular, poses a serious challenge. Its disappearing messages, anonymous usernames, and location-based features make it easy for teens to connect with local dealers and nearly impossible for parents or schools to monitor.
This isn’t happening in some dark corner of the internet. It’s happening on the same apps teens use to talk to friends and scroll through videos.
What makes it even more dangerous? These pills are often marketed as “clean,” “safe,” or “pharmaceutical-grade,” especially when they’re brightly colored or neatly packaged. But DEA lab tests show that up to 6 in 10 fake pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
The Data Is Alarming
Teen drug use is down, but teen drug deaths are up.
According to Monitoring the Future, overall teen use of illicit substances is at an all-time low. Yet overdose deaths among adolescents have skyrocketed in recent years. Why? Because the risk per use has changed.
Teens aren’t taking more drugs, they’re taking drugs that are far more dangerous.
According to National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), In 2023, law enforcement seized over 115 million fake pills, many of them made to look like common prescription medications. That’s up from just 49,000 in 2017.
The good news is that in 2024, U.S. Overdose deaths decreased by almost 27%. Early data suggests that public health interventions and stronger policy measures are making a difference.
It’s important to note that this progress mainly reflects adult outcomes. Adults often have access to harm reduction services, treatment, and public health messaging…teens don’t.
Most teens have never heard of harm reduction. They aren’t carrying naloxone, don’t know where to find fentanyl test strips, and may not realize the pill they’re taking is counterfeit.
This isn’t just a volume problem, it’s a problem of potency, misinformation, and lack of education. For young people, one risky, uninformed choice, one pill can change everything.
Summer Is a High-Risk Time
The opioid crisis isn’t often discussed in international school communities, but students returning to the U.S. for summer enter an environment where counterfeit pills are easily accessible.
As they reconnect with friends, attend parties, or act on curiosity, summer brings both opportunity and risk.
The message to teens needs to be clear:
Taking a pill not prescribed to you is one of the riskiest decisions you can make right now.
Prevention Ed’s Approach
We don’t use scare tactics. We use science, honesty, and context.
When we talk to students about fentanyl, we focus on facts. We help them identify misinformation, understand real risks, and see how one decision, even one pill can have devastating consequences.
Research shows that when teens perceive something as risky, they’re less likely to use it. That’s why reported opioid use among 12th graders remains extremely low, around 0.02%.
But the perception of safety around prescription pills is still a problem. Because they’re prescribed by doctors and taken by millions, many teens assume they’re safe. When counterfeit pills look exactly like the real thing, that false sense of security becomes deadly.
When students have accurate, science-based information, they make better choices.
Resources for Teens and Parents
If your student is heading to the U.S. this summer, take time to talk with them about counterfeit pills and fentanyl. Below are trusted resources recommended by Prevention Ed to help guide those conversations:
Prevention Ed’s “What Every Teen Should Know About Fentanyl” Infographic – A quick, clear visual that breaks down the facts and dispels common myths.
WeedWise Fentanyl Video – “No, Cannabis Isn’t Being Laced with Fentanyl: Here’s the Real Risk.” In this video, Prevention Ed Founder Katie Greeley, tackles misinformation and helps parents redirect attention to the actual sources of exposure.
Song for Charlie – A nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of counterfeit pills and fentanyl. Includes parent guides, teen-focused videos, and up-to-date research.
NEXT Distro – A U.S. based online and mail-based harm reduction platform providing free access to Narcan and other harm reduction tools, including test strips and training.
Staying Safe This Summer
Summer should be a time to relax and recharge. It should also be a time to stay safe.
If you’re an international school counselor, parent, or administrator, this is the moment to share accurate, accessible information about fentanyl with your students. Before the goodbyes. Before the plane ride home.
We’ve made it easy. Head to our resources section of our webpage for our fentanyl infographic and other resources, tips, and training opportunities.
When it comes to fentanyl, a lack of information can be deadly. The right information can save lives.