New York Senator Seeks Federal Funds to Fight Rainbow Fentanyl

New York’s Senior Senator says drug dealers are using an old strategy to try to rope children into using a more dangerous drug.

Charles Schumer September 25 pointed to rainbow-colored fentanyl that looks like sidewalk chalk or Sweet-Tart candy and appeals to young children as a potentially deadly trend that's being marketed by drug traffickers.

The Democrat is calling for $290 million in federal money as part of government stop-gap spending legislation to go to law enforcement efforts to intercept the drug before it is marketed to children.

The Senate Majority Leader called the actions of drug dealers despicable and called the term “Rainbow” fentanyl “gross” and “disgusting”.

Fentanyl, according to the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency, is 50 to 100 times more lethal than morphine.

Recent statistics show the synthetic opioid has been responsible for an 80 percent increase in overdose deaths in the past two years.

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Senator Schumer told reporters at a September 25 news conference that the pills have been circulating for at least six months.

The ploy to attract young children to illicit drugs by through attractive disguises is nothing new.  Several months ago, an alert went out concerning what appeared to be popular treats and snacks for young people that looked just like the real commercial chips and candy’s packaging but the product inside contained dangerously high, and sometimes undisclosed levels of THC found in marijuana.

The Drug Enforcement Agency says the rainbow fentanyl is being seized in pills, powder and blocks that resemble sidewalk chalk in 18 states.

Recently two Maryland men were apprehended with 15,000 fentanyl-laced pills they tried to sell to undercover officers in Skittles and Nerds candy containers.

Schumer points out the appearance of the deadly counterfeit candy is especially concerning with Halloween a little over a month away.

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