Earlier this year, a young adult was last heard in bed, making “gurgling” sounds. Hours later, he was found dead.

On a nearby dresser sat round tablets stamped “RP 10 325,” markings commonly associated with oxycodone/acetaminophen. The tablets appeared familiar, but they were dangerously misleading.

I conducted the autopsy of this young adult at the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. Toxicology testing of the young adult’s blood, along with drug testing of the recovered tablets, detected no oxycodone. Instead, they contained N-propionitrile chlorphine (commonly referred to as cychlorphine), an illicit synthetic opioid estimated to be approximately 10 times more potent than fentanyl. The pill was counterfeit. The loss of life was preventable.

This is not an isolated tragedy. It is yet another warning for all of us.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has made clear that “One Pill Can Kill” is not simply a slogan. Rather, it is a reality for many families in Arkansas and across our country.

Criminal networks mass-produce counterfeit pills designed to mimic legitimate prescription medications. To the........

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