Grand Junction Police Department warns about ‘rainbow’ fentanyl

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - A follow-up, days after we told you about a dangerous new twist on fentanyl.

The Grand Junction Police Department warns parents to be on the lookout for colorful fentanyl pills. The new method used by drug cartels to attract children and teenagers. “That represents things like either candy or even ecstasy,” said Sgt. Dave Godwin.

But there’s nothing sweet about these pills. “The color fentanyl is the first we’ve seen here in the city of Grand Junction,” added Godwin.

The police department said it’s a new marketing strategy used by drug trafficking organizations, “It’s catering to the younger population, or that’s college students or even younger than that.”

In hopes of building a loyal following. “So if I find a drug dealer, and I can get you addicted to fentanyl at a younger age, that’s not much more time I have with you to pay me money for the drugs I have you on the hook for that much longer in your life.”

Even more frightening, the drug is more accessible than you may think.

“We’ve had incidents where kids have found fentanyl on the street, young kids not knowing what it was,” said Godwin. “And so they dare their friends have taken one kid actually had to go the hospital because he’s overdosing on fentanyl as a juvenile not really realizing the dangers of it.”

The highly addictive and potentially deadly drug is a synthetic opioid, 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. That’s caused several to lose their lives.

“In the city of Grand Junction, there have been 12 deaths this year due to fentanyl,” added Godwin.

In the last two weeks, the police department seized approximately 60,000 pills blue and rainbows. The police department needs the help of the community. “You need to educate your kids who are going to a high school party or college party,” said Godwin.

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