Campuses Amplify DEA’s ‘One Pill Can Kill’ Public Awareness Campaign

DEA's "One Pill Can Kill" initiative, which launched in September 2021, aims to raise public awareness about the counterfeit pill issue while highlighting prevention resources.

View a fact sheet on fake pills in English or Spanish.

The prevalence of fake pills - pills that mimic legitimate medication but are often laced with fentanyl or methamphetamine - is a growing problem in communities across the nation.

Is your school using ‘One Pill Can Kill’ materials to get the word out about fake pills? If so, let us know! Send a description of your efforts to community.outreach@dea.gov. We may feature your school and its program on our site! 

Campuses have adopted the initiative in an effort to educate their student population. Learn about them below.

Auburn University

Auburn University IG Post

Auburn University's Health Promotion and Wellness Services uses their Instagram page to educate students about the dangers of illicitly manufactured drugs being laced with fentanyl. Read more.

Texarkana College

Texarkana College One Pill Can Kill presentation

Texarkana College in Texas hosted Dr. Matt Young of Texarkana Emergency Center and Hospital to educate students on the dangers of fentanyl, including the fact that 6 out of 10 fake pills have lethal doses of the opioid. Read more.

University at Albany

Univ at Albany IG post on counterfeit prescription pills

The University at Albany's Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research uses their Instagram page to educate students about the dangers of fake pills.

Check out a couple of their posts below:

The school also created social media posts, posters, and ads for bus shelters with QR codes to the One Pill Can Kill website. 

University of Central Florida

UCF Police Cruiser (OPCK)

Dr. Thomas Hall, Director of the Orange County, Florida Drug-Free Coalition, has made several proactive efforts in the past two months to raise awareness of One Pill Can Kill for students, faculty, and staff at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Dr. Hall has worked closely with the Chief of Police of UCF Campus Police, Carl Metzger, on these efforts. Click the following links to see visuals of campus bus stop signage and a graphic wrap on campus police cruiser.

University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame Police

The University of Notre Dame hosted Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke and Senior Prevention Program Manager Rich Lucey to educate its residence hall and public safety staff on the dangers of fake pills and illicit fentanyl, as well as DEA’s One Pill Can Kill awareness campaign.

Check out a couple of the University of Notre Dame Police Department's posts below:

University of Virginia

One Pill Can Kill_UVAGordieCenter IG graphic

A student at the University of Virginia created an Instagram campaign in partnership with the Poison Control Centers to raise awareness about One Pill Can Kill. Check out more on their website. 

Quinnipiac University

Fentanyl penny

(The Quinnipiac Chronicle) Quinnipiac University’s Department of Public Safety committed to bringing awareness about the dangers of counterfeit or illicit drugs that could be laced with deadly substances through the “One Pill Can Kill” campaign. Read more.