The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is informing the public that “rainbow fentanyl,” fentanyl that has been coloured in a variety of bright colours, is widely accessible in the country.
“Rainbow fentanyl,” or fentanyl tablets and powder that are available in a range of vibrant colours, forms, and sizes, is an intentional attempt by drug traffickers to encourage addiction among children and young adults, according to DEA administrator Anne Milgram.
In a DEA news release, Milgram stated that “the men and women of the DEA are tirelessly fighting to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug gangs that are in charge of the great bulk of the fentanyl that is being smuggled in the United States.”
In August, the DEA and other law enforcement agencies confiscated fentanyl and fentanyl pills in 18 states. Pills, powders, and blocks that mimic sidewalk chalk are among the narcotics that were seized.
DEA laboratory testing has not discovered any evidence to corroborate allegations that particular hues are more potent than others, despite assertions to the contrary. Nevertheless, the DEA stated that fentanyl is exceedingly hazardous regardless of its colour, shape, or size.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has a potency that is 50 times greater than heroin and 100 times greater than morphine. Fentanyl is estimated to be deadly in doses as little as 2 milligrammes, or 10 to 15 grains of table salt. According to the DEA, it is impossible to establish how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder without carrying out scientific tests.
Furthermore, the most deadly drug threat to the United States continues to be fentanyl. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projections, 107,622 Americans overdosed and passed away in 2021, with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids accounting for 66% of those fatalities. The biggest cause of mortality for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45 is drug poisoning.
The DEA urged not to handle any fentanyl in its various forms and to dial 911 right away.
Information about
Additional neighbourhood and parental tools are listed on the DEA’s page on fentanyl awareness.
SOURCE: News release, US Drug Enforcement Administration
