DEA warns of ‘rainbow fentanyl’ used to target young people
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has spotted an “alarming” new trend. Drug traffickers are making brightly colored fentanyl that looks like candy. Their goal is to attract children and young people.
What Is Rainbow Fentanyl?
The agency’s law enforcement partners began seizing “rainbow fentanyl” earlier this month. So far, authorities have found it in 18 states.
Dealers sell rainbow fentanyl in several forms, including pills, powder, and blocks that look like sidewalk chalk. Some reports claim the colors signal different potency levels. However, lab testing has found no link between color and strength.
Many of these pills also mimic real prescriptions. They are part of a wider wave of deadly counterfeit pills spreading across the USA.
DEA Says Traffickers Are Targeting Young People
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram spoke out about the trend in a statement. She called rainbow fentanyl “a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults.”
Where Authorities Have Seized Rainbow Fentanyl
Police recently made two seizures of chalk-like rainbow fentanyl in the Portland, Ore., area. In West Virginia, authorities seized about 15,000 multicolored pills from one person. Officers have also made similar seizures in California and Washington.
Why Fentanyl Is So Dangerous
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Dealers often mix it with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. As a result, many buyers don’t know they’re taking it. Learn more in our guide, Facts About Fentanyl.
In recent years, synthetic opioids like fentanyl have become the leading drugs behind U.S. overdose deaths. The U.S. recorded more than 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl caused 66 percent of them.
For a closer look at the data, see Fentanyl: What the Latest Research Tells Us About America’s Deadliest Drug.
How to Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
If you or someone you love is at risk, keep NARCAN® Nasal Spray on hand. It can reverse an opioid overdose. Our opioid treatment options page can also help you find safe next steps.
Content courtesy of thehill.com