Preventing Accidental Halloween Overdoses
The Drug Enforcement Administration says that the risk of children finding drugs in their candy bags this Halloween is very low. While Cibola County’s authorities mostly agree, they say it is always best to err on the side of caution, especially with the rise of counterfeit – potentially deadly – drugs being disguised as everyday candy.
Cibola County Sheriff’s Office will be increasing patrols and having extra deputies on the streets this Halloween to keep the streets safe. A strong foot presence may not be enough to keep drugs off the streets however.
The Cibola Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is particularly worried this year about alcohol and marijuana edibles. Coalition leader, Lori Vigil, said that she has seen several types of marijuana edibles that look like candy, chips, or cereal. These marijuana edibles can be loaded with more THC – the active chemical in marijuana that produces the “high” effect – than can be found in even the regular marijuana plant.
Vigil wants to remind residents that providing alcohol or drugs to a minor, even on a holiday or at family party, is a fourth degree felony.
There will be a series of safe locations to trickor- treat, called “trunk-ortreats” contact your local government for more information about official “trunk-or-treat” locations.
Rainbow Fentanyl
Marijuana edibles, aren’t the only worry for members of the community this Halloween. Law enforcement is increasingly concerned about a new type of fentanyl that comes in bright colors and looks like candy.
“Rainbow Fentanyl”, despite its enchanting name, is just as deadly as regular fentanyl. It is being found in a bold assortment of bright colors, either in pill form, powder form, or blocks that resemble street chalk, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
Law enforcement in Cibola would like to inform residents that Rainbow Fentanyl has not been found in the Cibola County area. Cibola County Sheriff’s Office has stopped several vehicles on Interstate 40 that were hauling boxes of drugs designed to look candy. While these were not rainbow fentanyl, they prove the need to check children’s Halloween candy before youngsters are allowed to sink their teeth into the treat.
Fentanyl is a drug used to help those with cancer so they do not struggle with pain. It is a synthetic opioid that has killed many Cibola residents, and ran a devastating swath through Cibola County in Summer 2022. After a series of fentanyl overdoses this Summer, the Cibola County Narcotics Taskforce made special effort to target fentanyl dealers and traffickers, their operational successes have disrupted the fentanyl trade and overdoses of the drug have decreased. The narcotics taskforce is made up of CCSO, Milan Police Department, and occasionally other entities like the STIU Gang Units from area prisons.
Red Ribbon Week Just in time for Halloween, the Grants-Cibola County School District is celebrating Red Ribbon Week. This is a time for area students to learn about the dangers of drugs, from marijuana to fentanyl. With the increasing potency and availability of hard drugs like opioids, Cibola school students are learning the reasons to avoid drugs and how to address drug use amongst friends and peers. In support of this effort, Mayor Erik Garcia made the following statement on Facebook. “Educate yourself and help your kids know dangers of fentanyl. It’s the new devil in town. I will continue to grind hard for the City of Grants because I know we can be the safest, cleanest community in New Mexico.” He finished his statement with “Dream Big Grants”.
While educating the youth about the dangers of drug use is important, the educating of parents is just as important. Cibola Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator Lori Vigil explained that providing marijuana or any other kind of drug, and especially alcohol to minors is a fourth-degree felony.
Having a Safe Halloween
While Vigil, Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace, and Milan Police Chief Carl Ustupksi agree that the chances of drugs contaminated candy getting into a kid’s candy bag is unlikely, they say that it is vital to check the candy just to be safe.
Sheriff Mace and Vigil explained that marijuana edibles can be packaged to look like real candy, chips, cereal, and other snacks. Most people would not want to give those away, but they can be easily mistaken for regular candy. They encourage parents to look through the candy and check labels carefully because marijuana edibles are required to have postage explaining that it is marijuana.
MPD Chief Ustupski said that his parents always looked through his candy bags. Growing up, people in the inner city were putting razors and other sharp objects in candy before giving them out. He praised the Village of Milan and greater Cibola County for being a community that cares about the wellbeing of the children, but he said that there is no harm in making sure that candy has not been contaminated with drugs or sharp objects.
Sheriff Mace said that trick-or-treaters and their groups should stay in well-lit areas, and try to avoid dark places off the road. Vigil said that children should never travel alone and they should never get into a vehicle with anyone they do not know. Both agree that “Trunk-or-Treats”, areas children can go trick or treat in a highly populated, well-lit location like the Grants Public Library or Hillcrest Center in Grants, or others in Milan like at a church, are the best opportunities to do safe trick-or-treating.
CCSO, MPD, CSAPC and the Cibola Citizen would like to wish Cibola a happy and safe Halloween.