Moms to hold vigil on International Drug Overdose Day honoring lives lost to substance abuse
TAMPA, Fla. - They’re moms on a mission. Wednesday night, the local Moms Against Drugs group will be holding a vigil to remember the lives lost to substance abuse as the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
glows purple for International Drug Overdose Day.
These moms said they’re not only fighting for change, but they’re also hoping to raise awareness of the dangers of drug abuse. Many of these individuals have lost loved ones themselves to the drug epidemic, but they’re turning their pain into a passion with a purpose with the hopes that other families don’t experience the same loss.
The local Moms Against Drugs group was able to get Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties onboard, agreeing to turn the Skyway Bridge purple to raise awareness for International Drug Overdose Day, as these moms will gather Wednesday evening in memory of the children lost to substance abuse and fentanyl poisoning.
Their mission comes at a crucial time as a new type of fentanyl is hitting the streets. Law enforcement is concerned that rainbow fentanyl may be targeted toward children. The drug consists of rainbow-colored tablets that law enforcement says could easily be confused for candy or even sidewalk chalk.
'Rainbow fentanyl' could be targeting children, law enforcement officials say
A new kind of fentanyl is hitting the streets and law enforcement worry it may be targeting children. It's known as "rainbow fentanyl" and just days ago border agents in Arizona seized nearly 1 million fentanyl pills including thousands of "rainbow-colored tablets."
MORE: Law enforcement officials worry 'rainbow fentanyl' could be targeting children
While its forms may differ, it’s still the same highly-toxic synthetic opioid, just a brightly-colored version.
Over the weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized more than 12,000 of the rainbow-colored tablets at the border near Nogales, Arizona, with officials also issuing warnings about the drug in Oregon.
Law enforcement in the Bay Area told FOX 13 that they haven’t seen rainbow fentanyl pop up in our cities just yet, but they said it’s on their radar. It’s drugs like rainbow fentanyl that the Moms Against Drugs group is fighting against.
The group will be meeting out on the North Skyway Fishing Pier at 7 p.m. to honor the lives lost to drug overdoses as they continue to fight for change.