Purple Fentanyl Poses New Threat

The danger presented by brightly colored fentanyl pills isn’t new, but Cleveland’s 19 News recently reported that the DEA alerted law enforcement officials in Northeast Ohio to be on the lookout for a specific kind of colored fentanyl: purple.

According to the news report, law enforcement personnel were told that purple fentanyl, sometimes called “purp,” is fentanyl mixed with lidocaine, a numbing medication. Lidocaine is easy to obtain because it’s legally sold to treat pain and is safe when used correctly. However, when lidocaine is mixed with fentanyl, it can increase fentanyl’s sedating effects, causing dangerously slow breathing and death—and Narcan might not help.

Narcan reverses fentanyl overdoses because it counteracts opioids. But lidocaine isn’t an opioid, so Narcan doesn’t work on it. That means Narcan may be less effective on overdoses caused by purple fentanyl.

Why purple? The color is essentially a deadly marketing ploy that tricks people into believing that purple means “pure” and therefore safe—when in reality it’s anything but. No matter the color or how real they look, any pills bought on the street or online are never pure or safe.

At the time of this writing, purple fentanyl pills haven’t been seized in Ohio, but they’re spreading across the Midwest, so it’s likely only a matter of time. DOITFORJACK reminds you to stay vigilant and have the conversation about fentanyl with your loved ones. Don’t lose your Jack.