GRATIS, Preble County — A satirical post on the Gratis Police Department’s Facebook page warns anyone who recently purchased meth in Preble, Montgomery, Darke and Butler counties that the drug may be contaminated with he Zika virus.
The post also asks that anyone who purchased the drug in those counties take it to the Gratis police station to be tested for free.
It’s not possible for meth to be contaminated with the Zika virus, and the post is intended to bring attention to the drug epidemic in rural areas such as Preble County, said Assistant Police Chief Dennis Blankenship. The hope is that the more the post is shared and discussed, the probability of addicts getting help will increase, he said.
Below is the post in its entirety:
WARNING: If you have recently purchased Meth in Preble, Montgomery, Darke or Butler Counties it may be contaminated...
Posted by Gratis Police Department on Monday, May 28, 2018
The warning was posted Monday, and as of 1 p.m. Tuesday it has been shared more than 4,500 times and nearly 500 people have commented on it. With the exception of a few, the majority of people who commented understand that the post is meant to be satirical, Blankenship said.
One person wrote: “So you are endangering public health by lying about contagious diseases now?”
Another wrote: “I don't even know where Gratis PD is on a map but damn, this was the most entertaining thing I've read on the net in weeks. Keep on keeping on! Peace and love to all of you!”
In about a week the post will be edited to make clear its intent, Blankenship said.
