The share of U.S. drug overdose deaths caused by fake prescription pills is growing

This photo provided by the U.S. Attorneys Office for Utah and introduced as evidence in a 2019 trial shows fentanyl-laced fake oxycodone pills collected during an investigation. (AP)

U.S. public health officials are continuing to warn of a growing threat fueling the country's historic opioid crisis: fake prescription pills.

The share of overdose deaths involving counterfeit pills more than doubled between mid-2019 and late 2021, and the percentage more than tripled in western states, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.