Law enforcement officials are warning parents about a recent trend of drug cartels disguising the deadly drug fentanyl as candy, such as Nerds and Skittles.
The powerful synthetic opioid is also being used in counterfeit pills which drug dealers then market as prescription medications such as Oxycodone, Xanax and Percocet. The fake pills are impossible to tell from real ones.
“Parents absolutely must educate both themselves and their children about these trends” said Prosecutor Quinn. “The DEA has determined that this is a deliberate effort to target children and young adults. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing us at this time. Everyone needs to understand the danger of ingesting a ‘prescription’ pill that wasn’t prescribed to you.”
The colored pills are known as “rainbow fentanyl,” and come in a variety of bright colors similar to candy. Drug traffickers utilize social media to gain access to adolescents and teens.
Drug traffickers mix fentanyl into other drugs because it is cheap to manufacture. This practice leads to individuals ingesting fentanyl without knowing it, which can lead to overdose or death.
Drug Enforcement Administration officials say four out of every 10 fake pills laced with fentanyl contain a deadly amount. In the last few months, law enforcement officials have found a huge number of fentanyl pills disguised as prescription drugs.
Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. As little as two milligrams – an amount equal to about 10-15 grains of salt – is considered a lethal dose.
Last month the Drug Enforcement Agency seized brightly colored fentanyl in 18 states. Some of it was contained in Nerds and Skittles packaging and some was in block form, resembling sidewalk chalk.
Fake prescription pills are sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, meaning they are accessible to anyone with a smartphone – including minors.
“There is no way to know which pill will kill you and which one will not,” stressed Sheriff Kleinhelter. “We have seen far too many overdose deaths in our community, and some have resulted from fentanyl. I cannot stress enough how extremely dangerous this drug is.”
The rate of deaths in the United States from synthetic opioids has reached crisis proportions. The CDC said over the 12-month period ending in January 2022, 107,375 Americans died of drug overdoses with 67% related to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
The drug is often mixed with other illegal drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin and users are often unaware that they are ingesting fentanyl.
“These drug cartels are preying on our citizens, including children, with only one thing – profits – in mind. Please take time today to have a family discussion regarding illegal drugs and the many forms in which it can be disguised,” said Sheriff Kleinhelter. “You could absolutely be saving lives.”
For more information on how to talk to your loved ones about drugs, visit dea.org.
