BEL AIR, Md. — In photos distributed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, what looks like candy or sidewalk chalk actually is new packaging for fentanyl and while it hasn’t shown up here in Maryland yet, police are warning parents to be on the lookout.
“Potentially, some of that could get mixed in with Halloween and trick-or-treating and all those types of things, and it’s not just heroin that we’re talking about or fentanyl that we’re talking about,” said Col. William Davis of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, “For a long time now, you’ve seen marijuana that’s being distributed in gummy bears and things like that.”
The feds say cartels intentionally produced the fentanyl in candy-like form to try to grow new customers in children and young people.
Just how prevalent is it?
Well, the DEA reports that its agents have now seized Rainbow Fentanyl is 26 different states.
Keep in mind that fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin.
“The fentanyl, one little, tiny piece of that can be absorbed through your skin or get on your skin and into your mouth or eye or something like that. If it gets absorbed into your body, it could certainly be enough to kill you,” said Davis.
While there has been no evidence that anyone has intentionally tainted Halloween candy with the look-alikes, police say parents should always screen their children’s hauls and throw out anything unwrapped or suspicious in nature.
