Additional Coverage:
- U.S. “losing a generation” to deadly fentanyl, DEA head says (newsbreak.com)
Fentanyl: The Scourge of Our Time
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has led to the worst drug crisis in U.S. history, killing over 70,000 people last year. Unlike traditional drugs, fentanyl is a man-made chemical, making it cheap to produce and highly addictive.
Nearly all fentanyl in the U.S. is manufactured in Mexico by two powerful drug cartels and smuggled through legal ports of entry like the San Ysidro border crossing. The cartels hide fentanyl in counterfeit pills designed to look like prescription drugs.
Tragically, many people who overdose on fentanyl are unaware they are taking the drug. One such victim was Jack O’Kelley, a 20-year-old college student who mistook fentanyl for Xanax and died from an overdose.
The DEA has identified the cartels responsible for this crisis and is cracking down on the supply chain. However, the challenge is immense, with the cartels constantly adapting their smuggling methods.
Custom and Border Protection officers face significant obstacles, with only a small fraction of vehicles and individuals inspected at the border. The agency has called for increased resources, including additional officers and technology.
The pharmaceutical industry and social media companies have also contributed to the crisis. The former’s crackdown on legal opioids created a vacuum that the cartels filled, while the latter provides platforms for the cartels to advertise and sell drugs.
The fentanyl crisis is a complex problem that requires a multi-faceted approach, involving law enforcement, public awareness, and addressing the underlying factors that fuel addiction.
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- U.S. “losing a generation” to deadly fentanyl, DEA head says (newsbreak.com)