Your teenager probably isn’t looking for fentanyl.
That is part of the problem.
They may think they are buying Xanax, Percocet, oxycodone, Adderall or something else they have heard of before.
Maybe they are not “buying drugs” at all. Maybe a friend hands them a pill and says:
“It helps with anxiety.”
“It’ll keep you awake.”
“My doctor prescribed these.”
“I’ve taken one before. It’s fine.”
Apparently, “my friend said it was fine” remains one of the world’s least reliable safety certifications.
Counterfeit pills can look almost identical to legitimate prescription medications. They may have the same color, shape and markings. They can also contain fentanyl or other substances the person taking them never intended to use.
Looking professional does not make a pill predictable.
Coming from a friend does not make it safer.
And another person taking one without an obvious problem does not tell you what is inside the next pill.
That means telling your teenager, “Never take fentanyl,” is not enough.
They may sincerely believe they are not.
Give them a clearer rule:
If a pill was not prescribed to you and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy, you do not know what is in it.
Then ask what they would do if someone offered them a pill for anxiety, pain, studying or sleep.
Do not turn the conversation into an interrogation. You are not trying to get your teenager to reveal every questionable thing they have ever witnessed since sixth grade.
You are trying to make sure they recognize the decision when it arrives disguised as something ordinary.
Worried about what you're seeing?
Our admissions team can talk it through with you and help you decide whether an assessment makes sense.