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Three suspected overdose deaths in the city recently have turned the spotlight on the misuse of prescription drugs such as Tapentadol and Nitrazepam, with some of these tablets popularly referred to as “Dol” among users. When injected, these particles can lodge in tiny blood vessels in the lungs, causing inflammation and scarring and, in severe cases, can prove fatal,” said Dr S Chandrasekar, head of the department of medicine, Stanley Medical College and Hospital. A series of tiny injection marks on youngsters’ wrists and arms has become a tell-tale sign for police chasing the city’s growing prescription-drug menace. At the centre of the enforcement challenge is Tapentadol, an opioid painkiller. Unlike Nitrazepam, a benzodiazepine covered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Tapentadol is a prescription drug not scheduled as a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance under the Act. So, its possession or trafficking does not automatically attract stringent NDPS provisions. Violations involving its illegal sale are primarily dealt with under drug-control laws, creating enforcement hurdles for police. Tapentadol, particularly when misused, can dangerously slow down breathing. “Tablets contain binders and fillers that may not dissolve in water.