The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says fentanyl is the deadliest drug out there, and now it’s coming in a variety of bright colors, shapes and sizes that look similar to candy.
News Center 7′s Haley Kosik asked DEA officials how parents can protect their kids.
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“Our position at the DEA is that this is a deliberate marketing ploy to buy traffickers to create a new user demographic amongst young adults and kids,” said DEA Special Agent Orville Greene.
The DEA says it’s a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin.
“I know it took seven Narcans to get me back,” said Chris Parsons, a recovering addict.
Parsons accidentally took fentanyl when he was still using drugs.
“I was in a drug house,” Parsons said. “I set my sandwich down on a tray that had been on it and accidentally ingested.”
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“It was a scary experience, you now, because I ingested so much,” he said.
Now the DEA is warning parents about “rainbow fentanyl,” a candy-like version.
“They’re young adults who are in college studying for a test, you know, who take Adderall and have no idea where that pill came from,” Greene said.
Greene offered advice on how parents can protect their kids from the deadly drug.
“Whether or not you think your child may have a problem or someone in you family may have a problem, you have to have the conversation so that everyone understands that, you know, a fentanyl overdose is possible,” Greene said.
If you find what you think is “rainbow fentanyl” or any kind of fentanyl, the DEA says do not touch it and call 911 immediately.
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