These round, colorful pills may look like candy, but they are far from a tasty treat. Rainbow fentanyl is a dangerous drug that has been surging across the United States. Responsible for hundreds of overdose deaths every day, the spread of fentanyl needs to be met with swift, practical action.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently seized over 10 million pills and 980 pounds of fentanyl powder as part of an initiative called One Pill Can Kill. While their law enforcement operation removed a noteworthy amount of fentanyl from the streets, the fight is far from over.
Needless to say, growing concerns about rainbow fentanyl are not unfounded. Due to the high risk of overdose and the long-term implications of addiction, fentanyl could easily be the deadliest drug threat facing the United States today. Luckily, raising awareness about the dangers and signs of fentanyl abuse can help deter individuals from walking down the path of addiction.
What Is Rainbow Fentanyl?
Rainbow fentanyl refers to brightly colored variants of fentanyl pills. They come in a wide range of different colors, shapes, and sizes. However, despite their differences in appearance, the potency of rainbow fentanyl matches that of its colorless counterpart.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), fentanyl itself is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Much like other opioids, doctors may prescribe it legally as a painkiller in certain situations.
Unfortunately, fentanyl is made and distributed illegally as well. Combined with its highly addictive nature, this makes fentanyl one of the most widespread and threatening illicit drugs available today.
When someone takes rainbow fentanyl, they may experience any number of side effects. As its primary purpose involves reducing pain, many people feel drowsy or relaxed after taking it. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl may also cause nausea, constipation, confusion, and breathing difficulties.
In addition, fentanyl is associated with feelings of euphoria and pleasure. It affects the brain in a way that makes it less sensitive to happiness from other sources. In turn, this can lead to people becoming reliant on fentanyl to feel the same levels of joy.
How Dangerous Is Rainbow Fentanyl?
Considering its potency, it comes as no surprise that fentanyl is one of the deadliest drugs available today. The risk of overdose remains high for numerous reasons, the largest of which involves the inconsistency associated with fentanyl.
For example, other drugs like heroin or cocaine may be unknowingly cut with fentanyl powder. Even a trace amount can prove to be deadly, especially if someone is expecting a different drug entirely.
In just five years, the number of drug overdoses linked to fentanyl increased by roughly 1600 percent. With the addition of rainbow fentanyl making drugs seem more approachable, these numbers may only continue to climb.
Is My Child Safe This Halloween?
Some people fear that the apparent targeting of young people means rainbow fentanyl will be handed out at random. Parents in particular often worry that drug dealers will give out pills for free in an attempt to get kids addicted. With Halloween approaching, a time when the candy-like pills would not look out of place, this fear only becomes magnified.
However, while this is an understandable worry at first glance, the logistics of selling drugs does not support it. Keep in mind that, above all else, drug dealers look to make money from their sales. Children do not make reliable clients.
After all, young people have no steady source of income with which to continue buying rainbow fentanyl. Thus, drug dealers have nothing to gain from encouraging addiction. Giving out their stock for free would wound their profits far more than it would benefit them.
With that in mind, please rest assured that the mounting concerns for children this Halloween are unlikely to come to fruition. Of course, some degree of vigilance helps keep children safe, but there is no need to feel severe anxiety over the matter. Rainbow fentanyl, like all other illicit drugs, is not something drug dealers are keen on giving away for free.
Rainbow Fentanyl Addiction Treatment
Despite the dangers of rainbow fentanyl, many individuals still end up taking it. In the long term, this can lead them to fentanyl addiction, which dramatically increases their risk of overdosing. Fortunately, addiction treatment programs exist to help those who find themselves stuck in a cycle of substance abuse.
Medical Detox
Many individuals seeking treatment for fentanyl addiction will start with a detox. Detoxing allows their body to flush out the toxins that remain after using drugs. In addition, it helps their body relearn how to function without rainbow fentanyl. Long-term drug use can impair the body’s normal functioning abilities, making this a crucial step in addiction recovery.
Furthermore, when someone with an addiction attempts to detox, it typically triggers an assortment of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, such as sweating, nausea, and fatigue. To help them manage their symptoms and stay safe throughout the detox process, medical professionals recommend attending medical detox programs.
The Willough at Naples offers a medical detox to help people stop using rainbow fentanyl safely. Throughout the procedure, a team of licensed physicians and addiction specialists monitor patient vitals and symptoms. They possess the knowledge and tools necessary to minimize the discomforts of detox.
Dual Diagnosis Rehabilitation
After detoxing from rainbow fentanyl, someone may need additional support to stay away from illicit drugs permanently. They may choose a dual diagnosis program, which treats those with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health problems.
Some people are already aware of the close ties between addiction and mental health, but the relationship may be even more prominent than they realize. For example, over half of all individuals with a substance use disorder also exhibit signs of another mental illness like depression or anxiety.
The Willough at Naples is an addiction treatment center that specializes in dual diagnosis. Whether someone lives with alcohol use disorder and depression, rainbow fentanyl addiction and anxiety, or any other combination of conditions, we can treat both simultaneously.
To do so, our dual diagnosis program employs a wide variety of evidence-based treatment options, such as:
- Individual therapy
- Medication management
- Group therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Nutritional support
- Family therapy
- Relapse prevention planning
- Links to community-led resources and support groups
If you or a loved one has developed a fentanyl addiction after trying rainbow fentanyl, do not wait to get help. Between the increasing number of overdose deaths linked to fentanyl and the countless mental, social, and physical ramifications of addiction, the temporary euphoria is not worth it.
Learn More About Rainbow Fentanyl Today
Rainbow fentanyl is the newest threat in the opioid epidemic, and it’s important to keep yourself safe. If you have any additional questions about how to stay safe from rainbow fentanyl, please reach out to our team at The Willough at Naples.
You can call us at 800-722-0100, or if you need more time to gather your thoughts, submit a confidential contact form. We will happily provide as much guidance as we can regarding rainbow fentanyl addiction treatment and prevention. Spreading awareness saves lives, and nothing matters more than ensuring the safety of as many people as possible.