Rainbow fentanyl: Experts play down threat of drug to children ahead of Halloween
PHOENIX - For several weeks, there have been reports on the dangers of a drug known as the ‘rainbow fentanyl,' with law enforcement agencies, including the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), issuing alerts after suspected overdoses and deaths.
According to the DEA, the rainbow colors could lead children to mistake them for candy and make them more appealing to young people.
""Rainbow fentanyl — fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes — is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults," said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, in a statement issued on August 30, 2022.
However, some experts now say the danger of ‘rainbow fentanyl’ to children is low.
"Your kids, your children are not the target in this case," said Cheri Oz with the DEA.
While DEA officials say people should check their kids' candy as a precaution against anything unusual, they say headlines of lethal pills easily accessible to kids in costumes, is not the case.
"We do not have any credible information that cartels are targeting Halloween candy, and that’s important for parents to know," said Oz.
The bright colors are reportedly a concealment tactic to try and smuggle it across the country, according to Oz.
"The cartels are using any concealment methods they can come up with to get fentanyl, which is poisonous and dangerous and deadly, into this country. Not necessarily so that it can be sold as candy, but just so it can avoid detection from law enforcement," said Oz.
While the threat to children is law, fentanyl pills are still out there, and in record high numbers.
Nationwide, more than 10 million fentanyl pills and around 980 pounds of powder were seized by the DEA from May 23 to Sept. 8.
"Fentanyl is a drug that, if you were to ask me at the beginning of my career, would we see it as a street drug? I probably would have told you no because it is typically administered in the hospital setting," said Roger Schneider with Phoenix Police. "The fact that it is now all over the place on the streets, it's a very remarkable change."