BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — As we start to send our kids back to school this fall, parents are encouraged to open the door to some much-needed awkward conversations — we’re talking about drugs.

According to the DEA, fentanyl and methamphetamine are the top two drugs seized in North Dakota. In 2024 alone, around 70,000 fake fentanyl pills were seized in our state. The DEA warns that these fake pills brought in by cartels are pressed in a way that makes them look like other kinds of drugs, such as Xanax or Adderall.

This deception means that teens who may be looking to party with prescription pills could potentially end up in a fatal situation, as it only takes two milligrams of fentanyl to kill someone. Agents with the DEA suggest that parents talk to their kids about these potential dangers as early as possible, and tell them only to take pills that their doctor prescribes. Most importantly, parents should pay attention to their kids’ social media accounts.

“Fentanyl and meth and all these traditional street drugs that parents used to think you have to go to a city alley and a corner lot or somewhere in a bad part of town to obtain,” states DEA Assistant Special Agent Rafael Mattei. “That’s no longer the case. We’re seeing that social media, which the kids are very involved in these days, plays an important role in getting access to those drugs.”

Mattei suggests that parents use resources such as the DEA’s emoji decoder. This will show parents what emojis could indicate the buying and selling of certain drugs. If you would like to learn more about the decoder , and other resources that the DEA offers, head to their website .

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