HALLOWEEN: An exciting, joyful and colorful celebration observed in communities around the world on 31 October each year
AGN.News Team
October 23, 2022
WASHINGTON (AGN.News) – Halloween is a very exciting, joyful and colorful celebration observed in communities around the world on 31 October each year. Participants in colorful costumes helps to spread the cheer, joy, and happiness in the spirit of Halloween.
Halloween is a real celebration
Halloween, also called All Saints’ Eve, is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It begins the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the departed.
Many academics and historians believe Halloween began solely as a Christian holiday, being the vigil of All Hallow’s Day. Celebrated in Ireland and Scotland for centuries, Irish and Scottish immigrants took many Halloween customs to North America in the 19th century, and then through American influence Halloween had spread to other countries by the late 20th and early 21st century.
Activities celebrated on Halloween
Popular Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, and watching horror or Halloween-themed films.
Some people practice the Christian religious observances of All Hallows’ Eve, including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, although it is a secular celebration for others.
Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows’ Eve, a tradition reflected in the eating of certain vegetarian foods on this vigil day, including apples, potato pancakes, and soul cakes.
Tradition often determine exactly what type of activities local residents may decide to participate in their communities. As always, safety is always paramount when activities involve children.
Halloween connected safety tips
Halloween holiday is a celebration observed in many countries in one week on 31 October. Halloween “candy” shared by community members on the night of Halloween has traditionally been a joyful time for children.
On October 31, 2022, America celebrates Halloween. Unlike any previous year, the coming Halloween is lined with hidden dangers. Parents are urged not to let their children accept “candy” from anyone they DO NOT personally know.
Additionally, if you want to allow your children to participate, you should personally escort them or at best, have a trusted adult escort them from house-to-house. Everyone should take personal responsibility for the safety of their family members, especially their children.
Halloween “candy” safety tips
Law enforcement always advises parents to exercise caution. Remember, always inspect every piece of “candy” before it is consumed by children.
As always, when great things happen for some there are others who will do everything within their power to spoil it. Sometimes this errant behavior is done simply for a laugh.
Other times it’s criminal. In recent years Halloween candy has been laced with mind-altering drugs, many are illicit drugs. Peddlers of these illicit drugs use Halloween parties as a platform to sell or simply give illicit drugs to uninformed minors or novices.
Once they consume these illicit drugs the effect could be addictive or even deadly. Law enforcement agencies across the country have confiscated vast amounts of Fentanyl, a new drug of choice.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl, also spelled Fentanil, is a potent synthetic opioid used as a doctor-prescribed pain medication. Together with other drugs, fentanyl is used for anesthesia.
Fentanyl is also used illicitly as a recreational drug, sometimes mixed with other drugs like heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines or methamphetamine. Its potentially deadly overdose effects can be neutralized by Naloxone or Narcan.
Fentanyl is commonly used to create counterfeit pills disguised as OxyContin, Xanax, Adderall, among others. It has a rapid onset and its effects generally last under two hours when taken in very small amounts in mild doses, experts say.
Fentanyl can be a deadly drug
Fentanyl is a commonly prescribed medication in the United States. It is also commonly used in drug-selling schemes. In recent months, law enforcement all across the country have confiscated vast amounts of Fentanyl that look like “candy”, with bright colors or what some call “Rainbow Fentanyl.
These “pills” have been seized by police at every level of law enforcement in hundreds of communities nationwide. While they may look like candy, once consumed, they often kill the person.
In 2021, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues accounted for most drug overdose deaths in the United States with 71,238 deaths.
Compared with heroin, it is more potent, has higher profit margins, and, because it is compact, has simpler logistics. It can be cut into, or even replace entirely, the supply of heroin and other opiates.
Where does Fentanyl originate?
Today, the flow of fentanyl mainly originates in Asian factories which produce fentanyl or fentanyl precursors. It is then trafficked to other countries for illicit production and sale.
In the United States, finished fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the United States across the southern border from Mexico.
What is being done to stop it?
Federal law enforcement agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement partners are participating in an unprecedented campaign to stop and seize these illicit drugs from smugglers. They use every form of transport to move Fentanyl from southern border areas to cities across the country.
Some of these seizures have netted millions of Fentanyl pills along with the illicit profits from these criminals. While seizures of these counterfeit pills are making a dent into this space, more is being done to prevent deaths and save lives.
Prevention is vital to save lives
Many public health initiatives have been started to prevent the misuse and overdose of fentanyl. One of the initiatives that have been started to prevent fentanyl overdose is from the CDC.
The CDC effort has been categorized as a Health Alert Network Advisory signaled to a multitude of professionals within the health field. The advisory explains four key action points.
Those points include the (a) local need to expand the distribution and use of naloxone (Narcan) and overdose prevention education, (b) expand awareness, access, and availability of treatment for substance use disorders, (c) intervene early with individuals at highest risk for overdose, and (d) improve detection of overdose outbreaks to facilitate more effective response.
Another initiative is a social media campaign from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) called “One Pill Can Kill”.
This social media campaign’s goal was to spread awareness of the prevalence of counterfeit pills that are being sold in America that is leading to the large overdose epidemic in America.
This campaign also shows the difference between counterfeit pills and real pills. This campaign also offers resources for help with drug addiction and rehabilitation.
Halloween awareness plus alertness
This Halloween can be one with great memories of good times. Being aware of the hidden dangers will create memories that are filled with joy and happiness.
If you have any concerns about safety in your local community contact your law enforcement agency for assistance.
REMEMBER: Prevention is vital to save lives. Being aware of hidden dangers can save lives. Being alert to hidden dangers can save lives. Opioid deaths are real! DO NOT TAKE CHANCES!
You can learn more about Fentanyl from the CDC Here. Happy Halloween!
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Written by
AGN.News Team
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