The Drug Enforcement Administration is alerting the public of an emerging trend of colorful fentanyl available across the United States.
In August 2022, the DEA and law enforcement began seizing brightly colored fentanyl and fentanyl pills in 18 states. Officials said the trend appeared to be a new method used by drug cartels to sell fentanyl that looks like candy to children and 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.
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Brightly colored fentanyl is being seized in multiple forms, including pills, powder, and blocks that resemble sidewalk chalk. The DEA said despite claims that certain colors may be more potent than others, there is no indication through DEA's lab testing that this is true.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. According to the DEA, fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat in the country. The CDC said 107,622 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
For more information and resources on fentanyl awareness, visit the DEA's Fentanyl Awareness page.
