The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning Coloradans that counterfeit pills made to look like Xanax are showing up across the state and some of them contain fentanyl. Officials say the copycat pills can be deadly because even a tiny amount of fentanyl can shut down breathing in people who are not expecting an opioid. Health and law enforcement agencies are urging residents to treat any pill from outside a licensed pharmacy as potentially dangerous.
Lab testing has found fentanyl in street pills pressed to resemble alprazolam, according to KDVR. The Denver outlet reports that the DEA sent out an alert to local partners after seizing and analyzing samples. Authorities say the packaging, color and imprints can be copied so convincingly that you cannot trust a pill just by looking at it.
The DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign reports that fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills are being seized at record levels, and that two milligrams of fentanyl, roughly the size of a few grains of salt, can be enough to kill an average adult, as outlined by the DEA. The agency says more than 47 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills were seized in 2025, with those figures updated in early March. The message from federal agents is blunt: pills bought anywhere other than a pharmacy are not safe.
How to stay safe
If you or someone around you is considering taking a pill that did not come from a pharmacy, officials say you should assume it could contain fentanyl and act accordingly. Local public health programs distribute free naloxone and fentanyl test strips, and the state runs a naloxone bulk purchase program to supply community organizations, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. If an overdose is suspected, authorities say to call 911 right away and give naloxone if it is available.
Why this matters in Colorado
Colorado has been hammered by the fentanyl wave. Preliminary counts show Denver recorded 515 drug overdose deaths in 2025, with fentanyl involved in roughly two-thirds of those deaths, as reported in a piece on how Denver's fentanyl crisis blows up, as per Hoodline. The city has been expanding naloxone access and drug checking programs, but advocates say they want more real-time testing and more treatment capacity. Officials stress that even a single counterfeit pill can be deadly, especially for people who do not use opioids regularly.
Authorities are urging parents, students and partygoers to treat any pill from an unverified source as potentially lethal and to carry naloxone when possible, a recommendation echoed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Naloxone is safe and can quickly reverse an opioid overdose, and emergency services should be called immediately if someone is unresponsive or breathing slowly. Community organizations and local health departments continue to offer resources and training on how to use naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
