The Use of 'Rainbow Fentanyl' That Looks Like Candy Will Surge on U.S. Streets Around Halloween

There are long-standing urban legends regarding the dangers of Halloween treats, such as razors in apples and candy laced with poison and drugs, etc. However, authorities warn the public about the sudden increase of 'rainbow fentanyl' pills that look like candy for this year's Halloween season. Law enforcement expects these pills to circulate more on American streets this month.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse said fentanyl is more than 50% more potent than morphine. Along with methamphetamines, it's reportedly one of the most commonly used drugs and has one of the highest overdose rates. Teens find it more convenient to get high from pills, although the drug is also often consumed by injection, snorting, etc.

Part of what makes this narcotic so dangerous is that it can be hard to identify. According to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, drug dealers are not always aware that some of the drugs they push contain fentanyl or the potency of the fentanyl products they know they're selling. Teens are rumored to buy from unknown dealers on social media, which is supposedly contributing to the surge in fentanyl-related deaths. In 2020, 82% of all drug overdoses were from this drug. According to the CDC, in 2021, about 13,404 more fentanyl-related deaths occurred during 2021.

Naloxone can reportedly reverse a fentanyl/opioid overdose if medical professionals can intervene in enough time. For more information regarding the drug crisis, go to cdc.gov.