COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office is warning parents and young people about a new and deadly form of fentanyl that is being marketed in the form of brightly colored pills.
The pills, which have been dubbed “rainbow fentanyl,” are made with a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. They can be deadly even in small doses.
The pills are typically made to look like prescription medications, such as OxyContin or Xanax. They may also be made to look like candy or other innocuous objects.
Attorney General Dave Yost is urging parents to talk to their children about the dangers of rainbow fentanyl and to keep an eye out for the pills.
“Do not be fooled by appearances – rainbow fentanyl is death disguised as candy,” Yost said. “The bottom line is this: If you’re taking a pill that wasn’t prescribed by your doctor, you can’t be certain of what you are consuming.”
Yost is also urging law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for rainbow fentanyl.
If you or someone you know has been exposed to rainbow fentanyl, please call 911 immediately.