Michelle Watson, the founder of the 1:11 Project, said that while medical fentanyl from hospitals is highly controlled, illicit fentanyl being pressed into pills, vapes, and liquids is colorless, odorless, and often indistinguishable from real medications. Watson was a guest on a recent episode of the Best of Midland Podcast.
"We got some fentanyl from the pharmacy, from somebody so regular, medical fentanyl that comes from a doctor, comes from the hospital, is okay in a medical setting," said Watson on a recent edition of the Best of Midland Podcast. "It's going to be administered from the hospital or from a doctor; it's highly controlled. What these people are getting is illicit fentanyl that's being pressed into pills and vapes and liquid.”
“It is in liquid and powder form, it's colorless, odorless," Watson said. “You have no idea that it's in what you're getting, and it's coming across the borders. So that's what he got. Sadly, you can buy a pill press on Amazon, and that's what's happening, to make your own pills. We teach the kids in school, you can look at a fake Percocet and a real Percocet or a fake Adderall and a real Adderall; they look identical."
Watson is the founder of the 1:11 Project, a registered non-profit organization focused on raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and combating its misuse.
Best of Midland Podcast is hosted by Ryan Shewchuk and Terra Avery. It is an extension of the broader Best of Midland program, which aims to support small, local businesses by showcasing them and the people behind them. Their website lists top businesses and upcoming live events happening in the area.
The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.