SPECIAL REPORT: Snapchat has been linked to the sale of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills that have caused the deaths of teens and young adults in at least 15 states. “It was as easy as ordering a pizza,” says one parent. Reporting by oliviasolon.
, a nonprofit public health group. NBC News independently confirmed deaths in 14 of the 15 states and identified five additional states not included in the research.Manufactured by Mexican drug trafficking organizations, these counterfeit pills look like legitimate prescription medicines. But 2 in 5 counterfeit pills seized and tested in the United States contain enough fentanyl to kill, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On top of raising awareness of the dangers of counterfeit pills, the company has hired more people for its law enforcement response team, which has allowed it to become more proactive in referring drug activity to law enforcement, said Snap spokesperson Rachel Racusen.
NBC News talked to eight parents whose children’s deaths have been linked to the sale of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills. Here are their stories.Amy Neville said her son Alexander Neville had always been a sensitive kid, “full of intense feelings.” But as he entered puberty, he developed mood swings that seemed to grow worse from using marijuana, which he tried for the first time when he was 13. Within a year, the teen from Orange County, California, was experimenting with acid and mushrooms.
The letter called for the company to proactively refer reported drug dealers to law enforcement, rather than simply deleting their accounts. It also asked Snapchat to be more transparent about how it’s responding to the problem and to treat law enforcement requests for information with more urgency. “He passed away peacefully with his mother in his bed stroking his beautiful blond hair while I was holding his hand,” Puerta said.
“None of that is going to work unless you can figure out a way to keep these dealers off the platform,” he said. “I don’t know how Evan Spiegel sleeps at night knowing this kind of activity takes place on his platform,” he added, referring to the CEO of Snapchat’s parent company, Snap. “She didn’t take too much of something,” he said. “She was sold something misrepresented to her. She was poisoned.”
Devin, a shy and loyal kid who loved making rap music, had dabbled with marijuana. But during his last year of life, he went on a health kick, hitting the gym and pestering his parents to drink less Mountain Dew. “I don’t think they are doing enough,” Norring said. ”We are still reporting Snaps from Devin’s dealer a year later to our local authorities.”
In the early hours of Nov. 15, 2020, when he was 23, Ryan and his brother, John, both took pills they thought were Percocet and collapsed at their dad’s house. Paramedics arrived too late to save Ryan. But they were able to bring John back using three shots of Narcan, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
With the first anniversary of Ryan’s death approaching, Beattie said she takes life one day at a time. On the evening of July 10, Martinez’s phone rang several times. “I instantly knew something was wrong,” she said. About a week and a half before he died, 13-year-old Luca had a root canal. Afterward he complained about the pain, including to a 19-year-old on Snapchat, who had previously sold him marijuana. The 19-year-old allegedly offered to sell him a Percocet, Eubanks said.
It took five months for Snap to respond to a subpoena for information about the suspected dealer, who continued to sell through Snapchat during that period, Eubanks said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Media & Tech Stocks Q3 Preview: A Special ReportNEW: Don't miss VIP+'s data-driven deep dive into the quarterly financials of 18 key media/tech companies — and get a look at their road ahead
Read more »
Merck says experimental pill cuts worst effects of CovidMerck says its experimental Covid-19 pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half in people recently infected with the coronavirus and that it would soon ask health officials in the U.S. and around the world to authorize its use.
Read more »
For first time, Dubai Expo 2020 says 5 workers died on siteThe European Parliament last month urged nations not to take part in Expo, citing the United Arab Emirates' “inhumane practices against foreign workers” that it said worsened during the pandemic.
Read more »
Merck says its experimental pill cuts COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths by halfDrugmaker Merck says its experimental COVID-19 pill reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half in people recently infected with the coronavirus.
Read more »
As Vaccination Numbers Continue to Stall, a New COVID Antiviral Pill Might Be Coming SoonThe oral antiviral from Merch and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics can reduce the risk of death and hospitalization by as much as 50 percent, its makers say.
Read more »
Merck COVID-19 treatment pill could be available by end of year, Dr. Adalja predictsJohns Hopkins School of Public Health Dr. Amesh Adalja expresses his optimism for Merck's new coronavirus treatment on 'Fox News Live.'
Read more »