Deadly Trend: Drug-Soaked Papers Causing Fatal Overdoses in U.S. Prisons

A dangerous drug smuggling method is claiming lives across U.S. correctional facilities, as synthetic cannabinoids increasingly appear in fatal overdoses among inmates, according to a recent alert from The Center for Forensic Science Research & Education (CFSRE).

These man-made psychoactive substances, designed to mimic THC—the active component in cannabis—are being smuggled into jails and prisons through seemingly innocent paper items like letters, greeting cards, books, postcards and magazines.

The CFSRE has specifically warned about “drug-soaked paper strips” causing overdoses among incarcerated individuals. Testing has revealed these papers often contain a hazardous combination of synthetic cannabinoids mixed with other dangerous drugs.

“While it’s impossible to know exactly why people are cooking up these combinations, I suspect they are simply ordering these substances from China or India and mixing them with very little understanding of how different substances interact or what constitutes a lethal dose,” explained Alex Krotulski, director of toxicology and chemistry for the CFSRE.

A December 2024 study by the CFSRE found that examined paper strips primarily contained “synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists, nitazene opioids, and other novel psychoactive substances.” The health consequences have been severe, including central nervous system depression (slowed brain activity) and bradycardia (slowed heart rate).

Cook County Jail in Chicago, housing nearly 5,000 detainees, has been particularly affected by this trend. Officials there report increasing cases of smugglers soaking paper with synthetic drugs and sending them through mail or visitors. The problem has proven deadly—in 2023, the jail recorded 18 total deaths in custody, with five caused by overdose. Three of these overdoses involved synthetic cannabinoids, according to Cook County Medical Examiner records.

“I cannot stress how serious this is,” said Dr. Priscilla Ware, who oversees Cook County Correctional Health and serves as medical director of Cermak Health Services. “People are dying from this product every single day when they use it.”

To address the crisis, Cook County Jail implemented a ban on paper in April 2023. While Sheriff Tom Dart noted that overdose deaths decreased in 2024, drug-soaked paper smuggling remains a significant problem.

“Unfortunately, it has been common to see test results for drug-soaked paper come back with two or three dangerous drugs, and we know that the people who produce this paper often included toxic chemicals, such as insecticides and rat poison, in their ‘recipes,'” Dart said. “That was alarming enough. But to see these results come back with a half dozen or more dangerous synthetic drugs—any one of which could be fatal on its own—is terrifying.”

The financial incentives for smugglers are substantial. Cook County noted in an August 2024 press release that drug-laced papers can sell for $10,000 per page inside correctional facilities.

This isn’t isolated to Chicago. According to The New York Times, at least 16 states have prosecuted individuals for smuggling drug-laced papers into jails and prisons, suggesting a nationwide problem.

Health experts warn that the threat extends beyond prison walls. Dr. Adam Scioli, chief medical officer of Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania, explained that “drug-soaked paper allows extremely powerful substances—synthetic cannabinoids, opioids and other novel compounds—to be delivered invisibly, without smell or obvious residue, making detection difficult in many environments.”

He emphasized that this delivery method poses risks to various settings, including “schools, mail rooms, shelters, treatment centers and private homes—any place where paper moves freely and inspection is limited.”

The danger isn’t limited to those seeking drugs. Paper can be handled or shared unintentionally, raising the risk of accidental exposure to staff, family members, or bystanders.

Scioli advocates for early detection and screening tools to protect both the public and frontline workers. He also stresses the importance of expanding access to evidence-based addiction treatment, including medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders, to lower demand for illicit substances.

“A coordinated response that includes healthcare, public safety, mail systems and community education is essential—this cannot be solved by enforcement alone,” Scioli concluded.

As correctional facilities struggle to contain this growing threat, the innovation in drug smuggling methods highlights the challenges facing America’s prison system and public health authorities in combating substance abuse both inside and outside correctional institutions.