Two sheriffs in Tennessee are warning residents not to pick up any dollar bills that they find on the ground, as they could be laced with fentanyl.
One of the warnings came from the Perry County Sheriff's Office, which said there had been two reported incidents where folded bills left on the floor of a local gas station contained a "white powdery substance" in them, according to a statement from the office.
The statement was shared on Facebook, and in it, the office confirmed that the powder tested positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl.
But that's not it, as a warning has also been issued by the Giles County Sheriff's Office that told citizens to "be aware and be safe" of the same situations. The two sheriff's offices are roughly 80 miles apart.
The Giles County Sheriff's Office added in its statement that even a small amount of the narcotic fentanyl could kill anyone who comes in contact with it.
Fentanyl has been a growing concern over the last two years as deaths caused by the drug have skyrocketed, according to the CDC. One reason deaths have risen is due to it being mixed with heroin, methamphetamine, and other drugs, with users sometimes being unaware.
The CDC shared that more than 150 people die daily from synthetic opioid overdoses like fentanyl. The drug is dangerous because it is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin.
Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems shared in his statement that because it is so dangerous, it must be taken seriously.
"This is very dangerous, folks! Please share and educate your children to not pick up the money," Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems said in the statement. "I personally plan to push for legislation for a bill that would intensify the punishment, if someone is caught using money as a carrying pouch for such poison. It enrages me as a father and the sheriff, that people can act so carelessly and have no regard for others well being, especially a child."
According to Weems, an investigation into who is leaving the bills and why has been launched and is ongoing.
Related
Related
