Snapchat cracks down on illegal drug sales amid national uptick in fentanyl overdoses

Snapchat has unveiled new safety policies aimed at confronting the rampant sale of illegal drugs on its platforms, the company announced Thursday. The crackdown comes amid what the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says is a "staggering increase" of fentanyl-laced pills in the country that are contributing to a national uptick in drug overdoses. 

"We are determined to remove illegal drug sales from our platform, and we have been investing in proactive detection and collaboration with law enforcement to hold drug dealers accountable for the harm they are causing our community," Snapchat said in a statement Thursday. 

The social media platform said that it has developed a new educational portal called Heads Up, which users will be directed towards should they search for drug-related key words. The tool will distribute content from health organizations like Song for Charlie, Shatterproof, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.