MANDEVILLE, La. (WGNO) —Forensic investigators began investigating two overdose deaths in St.Tammany Parish on Tuesday night. St.Tammany Coroner, Dr. Charles Preston says both of the deaths involved drugs containing fentanyl and other toxic substances.
Reports show that a 15-year-old died after taking several pills, and a 22-year-old died after taking one pill. “We constantly repeat the mantra that ‘one pill can kill,’ and it’s no exaggeration,” Preston said. He added that he is concerned that counterfeit prescriptions containing fentanyl and other toxic substances are being traded illegally.
“I am very concerned that our community may be experiencing illicit drug trade that involves intentionally tainted pills. Additionally, we have seen deaths related to ingestion of counterfeit Adderall, Xanax, marijuana, cocaine, and other pain pills. In other parts of the country, Fentanyl has even been detected in vape fluid. The number of cases is escalating rapidly, and we consider this to be a pending healthcare emergency.”
In an attempt to resolve the issue the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office is expediting toxicology tests of any drugs or residue recovered from the scenes to determine what caused these fatalities. The deaths are still under investigation.