PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY: Attorney General Alan Wilson warns public after multiple overdose deaths on college campus

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) -The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office is alerting the public and law enforcement to the serious dangers posed by illicit drugs, which are responsible for recent overdoses on college campuses around the country.

Earlier this week, two students at the University of Mississippi lost their lives to overdoses. The drug found with both students, Kratom, is widely legal across the country and available for purchase in convenience stores here in South Carolina to anyone 21 years old or older. A statement from the Oxford police department this week noted student messages urging precaution concerning the drug cychlorphine, but the presence of that synthetic opioid has not been confirmed by law enforcement.

Attorney General Alan Wilson issued the following statement:

"As a dad of a college student, this is personal to me. Parents need to understand how serious this is and talk to their kids now, because one mistake, one exposure, can be fatal. These drugs are poison, plain and simple. As we have seen, our colleges and universities are a soft target for these drugs. I encourage students on campus to practice common sense and refrain from taking anything that is not prescribed to you or purchased directly from a retail pharmacy. We will use every tool at our disposal to stop this and protect South Carolina families."

While Kratom is regulated in South Carolina, the hard truth is these products can be purchased by those with dangerous intent to lace them with synthetic opioids like fentanyl and cychlorphine.

Fentanyl and cychlorphine are often manufactured overseas, including in China, and trafficked into the United States by drug cartels. They are designed to be more potent, more addictive, and more difficult to detect. In many cases, they are mixed into other substances without the user’s knowledge, turning any use into a potentially deadly gamble.

The Attorney General’s Office urges all South Carolinians, including students on our college and university campuses, to take immediate precautions:

• Avoid any unknown or illicit substances
• Parents: talk to your children about the dangers of synthetic drugs and the reality that a single exposure could be fatal
• Report suspicious activity to local law enforcement
• Seek help immediately if you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse

Law enforcement and first responders should exercise heightened caution, as even incidental exposure may carry serious risks.

The Attorney General’s Office will continue working with state, local, and federal partners to combat the flow of these drugs, hold traffickers accountable, and keep this poison out of our communities.

Public safety remains our top priority. One pill can kill is reality, not just a catchphrase.