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Fentanyl Information

State health officials sounded the alarm on “rainbow fentanyl,” a potentially fatal drug that comes in a
variety of forms and bright colors. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has similarly noted that
rainbow fentanyl looks like candy, which could be a way to attract children and young people (https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2022/08/30/dea-warns-brightly-colored-fentanyl-used-target-young-americans).

Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes

"Rainbow fentanyl can be found in many forms, including pills, powder, and blocks that can resemble sidewalk chair or candy", said Dr. Tomas Aragon, Director of the California Department of Public Health. "Any pill, regardless of its color, shape or size, that does not come from a health care provider or pharmacist can contain fentanyl and can be deadly."

In August 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration and its law enforcement partners seized brightly colored fentanyl, including pills, in 18 states. The federal agency says anyone who encounters fentanyl in any form should not handle it and should call 911 immediately.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are the cause of most overdose deaths in the United States. In California, fentanyl-related overdose deaths in young people ages 10-19 increased 625 percent from 2018 to 2020.

While these drugs generally have no tell-tale tastes, smells, or visual indicators, there are signs associated with opioid overdose. They include:

  • Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
  • Falling asleep or losing consciousness
  • Slow, weak, or no breathing
  • Choking or gurgling sounds
  • Limp body
  • Cold and/or clammy skin
  • Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)

The CDC acknowledges that it can be hard to tell whether a person is high or experiencing an overdose, adding that "If you aren't sure, treat it like an overdose-you could save a life." Here is what federal health officials advise:

  1. Call 911 immediately.
  2. Administer naloxone if available (Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose and can be purchased from a participating pharmacy without a prescription).
  3. Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
  4. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
  5. Stay with the person until emergency assistance arrives.

The CDE offers more fentanyl-related information on its website https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/fentanyl/

To help protect unsuspecting children from accidently ingesting rainbow fentanyl, it is recommended that parents talk with them about the dangers of the drug and its various forms. In general, children should be cautioned about consuming anything that does not come from a trusted source, including candy that is not commercially packaged.