Ohio State Issues Warning About 'Fake Adderall' Pills Laced with Fentanyl After 2 Students Die

Vanessa Etienne
·2 min read
1
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State or OSU, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1873 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States.
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State or OSU, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1873 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States.

Getty

Ohio State University officials are warning students of "fake Adderall pills" that are laced with fentanyl after two students died and one other was hospitalized due to apparent overdoses.

On Wednesday night, Columbus Fire medics responded to a 911 call from a woman who reported an overdose by her roommate and two others in their off-campus residence.

One of the victims died Thursday while the other died Friday, according to the school. Out of respect, the university said it would not be releasing personal information about the victims.

"Our community has suffered a tragic loss with the death of one of our students earlier today," OSU President Kristina Johnson said in a statement Thursday. "Another student is currently hospitalized in critical condition. A third student has, thankfully, been released from the hospital."

She added in another statement Friday, "It is with an incredibly heavy heart that I share that our second student who was hospitalized in critical condition has passed away. Every Buckeye loss is heartbreaking, and these tragic deaths in our community in such a short period of time are devastating."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

RELATED: How Fentanyl Became One of the Biggest Causes of Drug Overdoses in the U.S.

Though Johnson did not detail what caused the students' deaths, she said it's "critical for everyone's safety to be aware of the possibility of contaminated drugs in our community."

She then advised students to read a Urgent Drug and Alcohol Safety Message from the Ohio State Office of Student Life in response to the tragic losses.

"This morning Columbus Public Health shared an alert about fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl, causing an increase in overdoses and hospitalizations," the notice said. "Be aware of the possibility of unexpected contaminates or how drugs may unsafely interact with alcohol. Contaminated drugs can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use."

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says a fatal dose of fentanyl is small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil. Illegal fentanyl is sometimes pressed into pills made to look like other prescription pills.

It is now the leading cause of overdose deaths, along with other synthetic opioids, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.