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OSU

Two students die after taking counterfeit Adderall pills laced with fentanyl

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Confirmed Threat

On the night of May 4, 2022, Columbus Police responded to a duplex on East Lane Avenue near the Ohio State campus after three students were found overdosing; Tiffany Iler, 21, and Jessica Lopez, 22, died of fentanyl intoxication, while a third student was hospitalized and released. The next day, Ohio State's Office of Student Life issued an urgent drug and alcohol safety message warning students about fake Adderall pills laced with fentanyl, noting that contaminated pills can cause death from a single use.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
2
Injured
1
Institution
Ohio State University
Public R1 · OH
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OSU Emergency Management
Official alert policy
Read when and how OSU says it will use Buckeye Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim2902 chars
This morning Columbus Public Health shared an alert about fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl, causing an increase in overdoses and hospitalizations. As we approach a week and weekend of celebration, from end-of-year and graduation parties to the return of warmer weather, we want to urge you to consider safety as you celebrate. You can review a complete set of Party Smart recommendations online, and below are a few highlights: • While we strongly discourage any kind of drug misuse, if you, or someone you know, may choose to experiment with drugs: • Be aware of the possibility of unexpected contaminates or how drugs may unsafely interact with alcohol. Contaminated drugs can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use. • Consider confidentially picking up a free Naloxone kit or fentanyl test strips; both are available at Student Health Services (1875 Millikin Road, Columbus OH 43210) during regular business hours. • You should never purchase or use prescription medication that you do not receive from a qualified pharmacy, as these drugs could be "counterfeit". • If you have drugs in your possession that you would like to dispose of with no questions asked, there is a Drug Take Back Box at Student Health Services during regular office hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) for certain types of drugs. For more information, visit their website. • Don't drink alcohol or use drugs alone. • Don't take alcohol or drugs from someone you don't know. • Consider discussing your drug use with a counselor or Student Wellness Center staff member, including one from Ohio State's Collegiate Recovery Community. • Stick together with your friends and never walk alone. • Pace yourself, drink plenty of water and eat food throughout the night if you are drinking alcohol. • Make a plan to get home safely. • 21 means 21, so drink responsibly. • If anyone appears to be in distress in any way, call 9-1-1 immediately and don't worry about getting in trouble. The university's Student Code of Conduct includes an amnesty clause that is designed to encourage students to call for help when they, or anyone else, needs it. • Students in need of emotional support are encourage to reach out to Student Life's Counseling and Consultation Service. For those of you who reside on or near our campuses, I understand that living in a vibrant community with many of your friends and other students is an exciting experience. Being a Buckeye can certainly be something you want to celebrate. And it's also important that you plan ahead and educate yourself about safe, healthy, responsible and legal ways to have fun. And this includes looking out for yourself and your friends, and also being respectful of your neighbors and the community. Stay safe, Buckeyes. Melissa S. Shivers, PhD Senior Vice President for Student Life The Ohio State University
Verify this quote
OSU Office of Student Life: Urgent Drug & Alcohol Safety Message (May 5, 2022)studentlife.osu.edufind archived copies
Full official Student Life community message recovered from Wayback capture of studentlife.osu.edu (2022-05-06).
Typos preserved: 'contaminates' (for contaminants) and 'are encourage' (for are encouraged).
This was classified as an advisory rather than a Clery emergency notification because the overdoses occurred at an off-campus residence and did not constitute an ongoing threat requiring immediate campus-wide shelter-in-place or lockdown.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

This morning Columbus Public Health shared an alert about fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl, causing an increase in overdoses and hospitalizations. As we approach a week and weekend of celebration, from end-of-year and graduation parties to the return of warmer weather, we want to urge you to consider safety as you celebrate. You can review a complete set of Party Smart recommendations online, and below are a few highlights: • While we strongly discourage any kind of drug misuse, if you, or someone you know, may choose to experiment with drugs: • Be aware of the possibility of unexpected contaminates or how drugs may unsafely interact with alcohol. Contaminated drugs can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use. • Consider confidentially picking up a free Naloxone kit or fentanyl test strips; both are available at Student Health Services (1875 Millikin Road, Columbus OH 43210) during regular business hours. • You should never purchase or use prescription medication that you do not receive from a qualified pharmacy, as these drugs could be "counterfeit". • If you have drugs in your possession that you would like to dispose of with no questions asked, there is a Drug Take Back Box at Student Health Services during regular office hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) for certain types of drugs. For more information, visit their website. • Don't drink alcohol or use drugs alone. • Don't take alcohol or drugs from someone you don't know. • Consider discussing your drug use with a counselor or Student Wellness Center staff member, including one from Ohio State's Collegiate Recovery Community. • Stick together with your friends and never walk alone. • Pace yourself, drink plenty of water and eat food throughout the night if you are drinking alcohol. • Make a plan to get home safely. • 21 means 21, so drink responsibly. • If anyone appears to be in distress in any way, call 9-1-1 immediately and don't worry about getting in trouble. The university's Student Code of Conduct includes an amnesty clause that is designed to encourage students to call for help when they, or anyone else, needs it. • Students in need of emotional support are encourage to reach out to Student Life's Counseling and Consultation Service. For those of you who reside on or near our campuses, I understand that living in a vibrant community with many of your friends and other students is an exciting experience. Being a Buckeye can certainly be something you want to celebrate. And it's also important that you plan ahead and educate yourself about safe, healthy, responsible and legal ways to have fun. And this includes looking out for yourself and your friends, and also being respectful of your neighbors and the community. Stay safe, Buckeyes. Melissa S. Shivers, PhD Senior Vice President for Student Life The Ohio State University

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the message is signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP for Student Life at Ohio State, clearly identifying the sender.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University'.
    2. present: Signed by "Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University".
    3. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University'.
    4. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers, PhD... The Ohio State University'.
    5. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers' for 'The Ohio State University'.
    6. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Ohio State Senior VP for Student Life.
    7. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University'.
    8. present: Signed by "Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University".
    9. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University'
    10. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University' and cites 'Columbus Public Health'.
    11. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Ohio State Senior VP for Student Life.
    12. present: Signed 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University' identifies sender.
    13. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP, Ohio State.
    14. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP for Student Life, Ohio State.
    15. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP for Student Life, The Ohio State University.
    16. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP for Student Life, The Ohio State University.
    17. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University' and mentions Columbus Public Health
    18. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University'.
    19. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers of Ohio State's Student Life office.
    20. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP for Student Life, The Ohio State University.
    21. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP for Student Life.
    22. present: Signed by Melissa Shivers, Ohio State Senior VP for Student Life.
    23. present: Signed by Melissa S. Shivers, Senior VP for Student Life, Ohio State.
    24. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University' and references 'Columbus Public Health'.
    25. present: Signed by 'Melissa S. Shivers... The Ohio State University'.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous agreement that the message names the specific hazard: fake Adderall pills that appear to contain fentanyl, driving overdoses.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl'.
    2. present: Names "fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl".
    3. present: Describes 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl'.
    4. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl'.
    5. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills' with fentanyl causing overdoses.
    6. present: Names "fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl."
    7. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl'.
    8. present: States "fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl".
    9. present: 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl' names the hazard
    10. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl'.
    11. present: Names fake Adderall pills containing fentanyl causing overdoses.
    12. present: 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl' names the hazard.
    13. present: Names fake Adderall/fentanyl overdoses specifically.
    14. present: Names fentanyl-contaminated fake Adderall pills.
    15. present: Names fentanyl-laced fake Adderall pills causing overdoses.
    16. present: Names fentanyl-contaminated fake Adderall pills causing overdoses.
    17. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl'
    18. present: 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl, causing an increase in overdoses' names the hazard.
    19. present: Names fentanyl-laced fake Adderall pills causing overdoses.
    20. present: Names fentanyl-contaminated fake Adderall pills specifically.
    21. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl'.
    22. present: Fake fentanyl-laced Adderall pills named as hazard.
    23. present: Names fentanyl-contaminated fake Adderall pills causing overdoses.
    24. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills... contain fentanyl'.
    25. present: Names 'fake Adderall pills, which appear to contain fentanyl' causing overdoses.
  • Locationabsent5/25

    Final assessment

    A clear majority (20 of 25) found no specific location, just general references to campus; a minority of 5 credited the Student Health Services address as location, but that's a resource address, not an incident site, so the majority absence call stands.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: No specific place, general campus community message.
    2. absent: No specific campus location given, general community advisory.
    3. absent: No specific location, only general references to campus and Student Health Services address as a resource.
    4. absent: No specific place named beyond general campus references and an office address for services.
    5. present: References 'Student Health Services (1875 Millikin Road...)'.
    6. present: References Student Health Services address and Ohio State campuses.
    7. absent: No specific place beyond general campus references.
    8. absent: No specific campus location given, only generic references to campuses.
    9. absent: No specific place named beyond general campus references
    10. absent: No specific campus location named.
    11. present: References Student Health Services address and 'on or near our campuses'.
    12. absent: No specific location, general community advisory.
    13. absent: No specific location, general campus advisory.
    14. present: References campus and Student Health Services address.
    15. absent: No specific campus location, only general reference to Ohio State.
    16. absent: No specific campus location, only general mention of Student Health Services address.
    17. absent: No specific campus location, general safety advisory
    18. absent: No specific location given beyond general campus reference.
    19. absent: Only general references like "Student Health Services" location, no incident site.
    20. absent: No specific building or campus area, general community message.
    21. absent: No specific location given, general community advisory.
    22. absent: No specific campus location beyond general references.
    23. absent: No specific campus location, general community reference only.
    24. present: Names 'Student Health Services (1875 Millikin Road, Columbus OH 43210)'.
    25. absent: No specific place, just general campus-area references.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the message gives extensive protective instructions: pick up naloxone, avoid using alone, call 911, and more.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Advises picking up Naloxone, calling 911, avoiding drug use alone.
    2. present: Recommends picking up naloxone, testing strips, calling 911, various safety tips.
    3. present: Lists many protective steps, e.g. 'Don't drink alcohol or use drugs alone'.
    4. present: Multiple instructions: 'pick up a free Naloxone kit', 'call 9-1-1 immediately'.
    5. present: Advises picking up naloxone, not drinking alone, calling 911.
    6. present: Advises picking up naloxone, calling 911, not using alone, etc.
    7. present: Advises steps like using Naloxone kits and calling 911.
    8. present: Advises picking up naloxone, not using drugs alone, calling 911, etc.
    9. present: Multiple safety tips like 'Don't drink alcohol or use drugs alone' instruct recipients
    10. present: Provides extensive safety recommendations like using Naloxone kits and calling 911.
    11. present: Advises using Naloxone, avoiding drug use alone, calling 911.
    12. present: Extensive safety tips like 'call 9-1-1 immediately', 'pick up... Naloxone'.
    13. present: Multiple protective tips like using Naloxone, not drinking alone.
    14. present: Provides multiple safety recommendations like using Naloxone, calling 911.
    15. present: Provides extensive safety recommendations like using Naloxone, not walking alone.
    16. present: Provides multiple protective actions like Naloxone, calling 911, not using drugs alone.
    17. present: Recommends Naloxone kits, calling 911, avoiding drug use alone, etc.
    18. present: Lists many protective actions like getting Naloxone, not using drugs alone, calling 911.
    19. present: Gives extensive safety tips such as calling 911 and using test strips.
    20. present: Lists many protective actions: use Naloxone, call 911, don't drink alone, etc.
    21. present: Advises picking up Naloxone, calling 911, not using drugs alone, etc.
    22. present: Multiple safety tips: avoid using alone, get Naloxone, call 911.
    23. present: Advises picking up naloxone, not using drugs alone, calling 911.
    24. present: Advises picking up naloxone, not using drugs alone, calling 911, etc.
    25. present: Advises pickup of naloxone, calling 911, avoiding drug use alone, etc.
  • Timepresent22/25

    Final assessment

    A strong majority (22 of 25) found recency markers like 'this morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend'; a small minority felt these only described another agency's alert, but most treat them as sufficient time framing for this message too.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Says 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend'.
    2. present: States "This morning" and "as we approach a week and weekend".
    3. absent: Only vague 'this morning' referencing another agency's alert, and 'this week/weekend' generally.
    4. present: 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend' give recency.
    5. present: States 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend'.
    6. present: References "This morning" and "as we approach a week and weekend."
    7. present: References 'this morning' and 'approach a week and weekend'.
    8. present: States "This morning" and "a week and weekend".
    9. present: 'This morning' and 'a week and weekend' give recency
    10. present: Says 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend of celebration'.
    11. present: 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend' give recency.
    12. present: 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend' give recency.
    13. present: 'This morning' and 'approach a week and weekend' give recency.
    14. present: 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week' give recency.
    15. present: References 'this morning' and 'the return of warmer weather' seasonally, plus 'this morning'.
    16. present: 'This morning' and 'approach a week and weekend' give recency.
    17. present: States 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend'
    18. present: 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend' give recency.
    19. present: References "this morning" and "a week and weekend" ahead.
    20. present: 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend' give recency.
    21. present: References 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend'.
    22. absent: No specific clock time; 'this morning' refers to health dept's alert not this one.
    23. present: References 'this morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend'.
    24. absent: Only vague 'This morning' for the health alert, no clock time or date for the guidance.
    25. present: 'This morning' and 'as we approach a week and weekend' convey recency.
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the message explicitly states the consequence: contaminated drugs can cause 'a severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use.'

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    2. present: States contaminated drugs "can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death".
    3. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    4. present: States contamination 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    5. present: Warns contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    6. present: States contaminated drugs "can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death."
    7. present: States contamination 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    8. present: Warns of "severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use".
    9. present: 'severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use' states consequence
    10. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    11. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    12. present: 'severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use'.
    13. present: 'severe and unexpected reaction, including death' states consequence.
    14. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    15. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    16. present: States contamination 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    17. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'
    18. present: 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use.'
    19. present: States contaminated drugs "can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death".
    20. present: States contamination 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    21. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    22. present: 'Can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death, from only one use.'
    23. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    24. present: States contamination 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.
    25. present: States contaminated drugs 'can result in a severe and unexpected reaction, including death'.

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

On the night of May 4, 2022, Columbus Police responded to a duplex at an address on East Lane Avenue -- within blocks of Ohio State's campus -- after a resident called 911 to report that their roommates were overdosing. Tiffany Iler, a 21-year-old neuroscience student from Broadview Heights, and 22-year-old Jessica Lopez died; the Montgomery County Coroner later confirmed both deaths were caused by fentanyl intoxication with manner of death accidental. A third 21-year-old student was hospitalized and released. Ohio State's Office of Student Life issued an urgent advisory on May 5 warning students of fake Adderall pills laced with fentanyl, a health crisis that Columbus Public Health had been tracking. The advisory noted that free Narcan kits and fentanyl test strips were available at Student Health Services. President Kristina Johnson released a statement of mourning the following day. The case became one of the most widely covered examples of the counterfeit-pill fentanyl crisis hitting college campuses nationwide, where pills sold as Adderall, Xanax, or other prescription drugs are actually pressed fentanyl, and a lethal dose can come from a single pill.
Analysis

Key Findings

Two Ohio State students died of fentanyl intoxication after taking what they believed were Adderall pills; a third was hospitalized and survived.
The overdoses occurred at an off-campus residence on East Lane Avenue, prompting OSU to issue an advisory rather than a Clery emergency notification.
The OSU Office of Student Life advisory specifically warned about counterfeit prescription pills sold as Adderall that were actually fentanyl, and directed students to free Narcan and test strips at Student Health Services.
The case became a nationally cited example of the fentanyl counterfeit-pill crisis threatening college students who may believe they are taking a familiar prescription drug.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. News
    Ohio State issues urgent Drug and Alcohol Safety message about fentanyl-laced Adderall - ABC6
    abc6onyourside.com
    archived copy
  2. News
    Coroner: Fentanyl intoxication the cause of death for 2 Ohio State University students - ABC6
    abc6onyourside.com
    archived copy
  3. News
    Ohio State warns of fentanyl-laced Adderall after overdose deaths - WOSU Public Media
    wosu.org
    archived copy
  4. government
    Officials warn of dangers of fentanyl after deaths of two Ohio State students - Campus Drug Prevention (SAMHSA)
    campusdrugprevention.gov
    archived copy
  5. Official
    Urgent Drug & Alcohol Safety Message - OSU Office of Student Life
    studentlife.osu.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Ohio State University: Two students die after taking counterfeit Adderall pills laced with fentanyl." Incident of May 4, 2022. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/ohio-state-fentanyl-adderall-deaths-2022-05-04/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
public-healthfentanylopioidoverdosecounterfeit-pillsadderallohiocolumbusoff-campusadvisorynarcanstudent-deaths
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion