As Halloween approaches, it is important you are aware of the dangers that come with it. Drug dealers are targeting teens by advertising brightly colored “rainbow fentanyl” pills intended to look like candy. Two of the most common candies are Sweet Tarts and Skittles. This is a newer method used by drug dealers to sell highly addictive drugs to minors.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine and is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. Consuming two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose. The DEA continued by stating that law enforcement has seized nearly 85 pounds of fentanyl in Florida just in the last month, which is enough to kill everyone in 66 of Florida’s 67 counties.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 107,622 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Children love candy and can be carelessly unaware of the dangers that can arise. Although this is something to be aware of, children should still have fun trick-or-treating this Halloween. Parents need to be aware of these dangers to protect their children. If you or someone you know encounters fentanyl this Halloween, you are to call 911 immediately.