In the Los Angeles International Airport, authorities confiscated 12,000 fentanyl pills. The pills had been hidden inside bags of Skittles, Sweetarts, and Whoppers candy boxes. The fentanyl pills were manufactured in rainbow color and wrapped in candy wrappers. They’ve also been hidden inside children’s toys to deter authorities’ attention from the pills.
Despite this, the Drug Enforcement Administration said that it’s unlikely these fentanyl pills will be given during Halloween. Street drug experts also said that candy-colored drugs have been used for a long time, yet they haven’t been related to children in any way. There has also been data from the DEA showing that none of these methods of smuggling drugs are used to target young children into using the drugs. More research from NPR has also shown that none of America’s overdoses have been attributed to the brightly colored fentanyl pills.
Drug dealers are targeting teens on social media platforms. “College, high school, and even middle school-aged kids might encounter illegal drug sales online,” the DEA said. They also stated that drug trends like the fake pills or brightly colored fentanyl pills are marketing tactics.
Brandon Del Pozo, an addiction medicine researcher, explained the situation with the research he’s gathered.
“We’re forgoing good solid basic public health and safety information that could be used to reverse overdoses, link people to treatment and save lives.”
He also stated that drug scares and false alarms will distract people’s attention from trying to get better healthcare and health services when more than 100,000 Americans die from drug overdoses every year.

Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2022/10/20/1130132625/authorities-seize-thousands-of-suspected-fentanyl-pills-hidden-at-los-angeles-ai

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/11/1127168627/is-rainbow-fentanyl-a-threat-to-your-kids-this-halloween-experts-say-no