TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — As Halloween approaches, Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning parents about the dangers of “rainbow” fentanyl. Law enforcement reports that some of the brightly-colored fentanyl, which resembles candy, has been found in toy and candy boxes.
HIGHLY DEADLY PILLS
Over the past few months, Florida law enforcement seized nearly 85 pounds of fentanyl, enough to kill everyone in 66 of Florida’s 67 counties. Fentanyl is a highly lethal synthetic opioid and just two milligrams can be deadly. In the month of October, the DEA seized 12,000 fentanyl pills in popular Halloween candy packages at Los Angeles International Airport – approximately 15,000 colored-fentanyl pills in Nerds candy boxes and Skittles candy bags, as well as another 15,000 rainbow-colored fentanyl pills in Lego toy boxes.
“Halloween can be scary, but nowhere near as scary as rainbow-colored fentanyl that looks like candy and can be lethal in minute doses,” Attorney General Ashley Moody said at a press conference on Tuesday. “Whether these drugs are being transported in candy boxes or mixed with other common drugs and sold to unsuspecting users, the threat posed to the safety of kids and young adults is very real. Just one pill laced with fentanyl can kill, so parents please talk to your children about the dangers posed by this extremely lethal drug,” Moody said.
INSPECT ALL HALLOWEEN CANDY
While cases of dangerous substances being placed in trick-or-treating baskets may be rare, parents should always inspect Halloween candy. In 2019, a New Jersey mom found heroin in her son's trick-or-treat bag. In 2017, a parent found methamphetamine in their child’s trick-or-treat bag, prompting an entire town to throw away their gathered Halloween candy.
"Illicit fentanyl is already the number one cause of death among Americans ages 18 to 45, and now we're seeing an alarming increase in news reports of toddlers being killed by this poison, unaware of what they're ingesting. I commend Attorney General Moody for calling attention to this dangerous threat, and taking action to save lives from this scourge," said James Rauh, founder of Families Against Fentanyl Founder.
Moody said that massive amounts of fentanyl are flooding into Florida from Mexico. She suggests parents follow the safety tips below:
- Throw away any candy that has already been opened or seems to have been tampered with.
- Make sure children always remain in the eyesight of parents and the other adults in the group.
- Teach kids how to call 911 in case of an emergency.
- Speak with older children and young adults about the dangers of illicit drug use.
Attorney General Moody released a Fast Facts on Fentanyl Toolkit for parents to help protect children from digital drug dealers online. The toolkit highlights how drug dealers utilize social media to sell illicit substances.
For more information about the dangers of drug use, and for tips on how to talk to children about illicit drugs, visit DoseOfRealityFL.com.
