Alli's Blog A collection of writings

Mexico Shuts Down Pharmacies in Tulum and Cancun for Selling Dangerous Pills to Tourists- August 10, 2023

https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7b9an/mexico-pharmacies-counterfeit-pills-fentanyl

55 pharmacies were raided in an area of Mexico with high tourist traffic and over 20 had their operations license suspended. There were a multitude of reasons for the suspensions, but the most concerning is that some were selling counterfeit medications. These pharmacies targeted and exclusively sold counterfeit pills to non-Mexican tourists and have now been linked to two major Mexican drug cartels: Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Mexican Navy started investigating after multiple complaints from tourists. They found that the pharmacies had been giving people Fentynal, Methamphetamine, and Xylazine- an animal tranquilizer in place of what they thought they were getting- Oxycodone, Percocet, and Adderall. 

The US has issued a warning to people traveling to all parts of Mexico that “counterfeit medication is common and may prove to be ineffective, the wrong strength, or contain dangerous ingredients.“

This story is considered news because it is reporting information about an unprecedented event that affects millions of people. It is important that tourists are aware of what is happening so they can be extra careful when getting medications from pharmacies on vacation or just bring their prescriptions with them. 

I feel that people should care about this and that it is very important. A lot of people could be seriously harmed if these unregulated pills kept being sold. Fentanyl especially can be really dangerous. 

I think the writer of this story did a good job. They used a lot of quotes directly from the press release from the Mexican Navy. This is the best source to get information from because it was the Navy who investigated the pharmacies. 

Dreya Roberts is a 2nd year student at Morningside. Dreya graduated from a large high school in Lincoln, Nebraska in 2020. After graduation she chose to take a gap year before coming to Morningside. Dreya told me in our interview that she was worried about not being on the “right” path- finish high school, then go to college, then get a job. She stated that she soon realized “it doesn’t fucking matter” and in the end was glad that she took the year off. During her year off she worked at a local coffee shop and lived with her parents and brothers at home. Dreya is the oldest sister in a family of three younger brothers and one foster brother. She let me know that she didn’t mind being the only girl growing up. Dreya’s family has two dogs. Abby is her favorite, but she loves Cal too. 

Dreya started playing softball in kindergarten and even played some in college. Her most recent position was 3rd base, but she is a versatile player. Her love of softball and athletics as a whole led her to studying sports information at Morningside. Dreya is not completely sure what she wants to do when she graduates, but she has toyed with the idea of going to graduate school to become an athletic trainer. Some other possible routes include coaching softball, being an athletic director at a high school, or working with a semi-pro softball team. 

Dreya works in the radio station on campus, tutors students in anatomy and works at the floral shop at Hyvee. Even with all these jobs, Dreya finds time to educate her friends and family on commonly unknown facts about anything and everything. One she shared with me is that babies are born without kneecaps. 

Hi! I’m Alli. I am currently a senior at Morningside. I am pursuing a degree in marketing and a minor in photography. I grew up in a small town in Minnesota with one older brother and one younger brother. My parents have two dogs who I love dearly. Lilly is 15 and has been my best friend since I was six years old. We just got Norman a couple years ago. He’s still a puppy but he’s a really good boy. 

Things I love: I am passionate about keeping the earth clean because I love nature. I especially love the mountains and waterfalls. I love putting together outfits with the clothing I find at thrift stores. I love to travel and experience new cultures. I find relaxation in baking and I love to share my creations with friends and family. I love going for walks, taking photos, and laying in my hammock. Below you can see a photo of me on one of my most recent adventures in Norway.