Why no action is stopping the production of Fentanyl ?

While watching the program “The Godfather of Fentanyl,” I discovered that the drug was originally developed as a synthetic form of morphine. It is highly beneficial in the medical field, particularly for anesthesia, as it can effectively manage patient sedation and recovery.

However, I also learned that illegal fentanyl is alarmingly easy to obtain through certain illicit channels. Sometimes, a dealer might even offer a free sample if you provide them with your phone number.

Once someone tries fentanyl, the likelihood of becoming a repeat user is extremely high. Fentanyl’s addictive nature is even more severe than heroin, leading to almost hourly cravings.

The drug’s danger is compounded by the fact that fentanyl is often mixed inconsistently, creating dangerous hotspots that can be lethal if included in a pill.

What chance do we have of stopping this deadly drug from entering the United States? We struggled to control heroin, and if heroin, in its bulk form, can be reduced from 25 pounds to just 1 pound, fentanyl poses an even greater challenge.

In addition to the massive number of American deaths, Mexican drug cartels are profiting enormously from this trade. They are also smuggling American-made guns to protect their illegal operations.

About 50% of the fentanyl entering the U.S. crosses through legal border crossings. Customs and Border Patrol are doing their best, but they openly admit that significant quantities of fentanyl are slipping through.

So, why can’t this crisis be stopped? Why is there no consensus among governments to end this? The answer lies partly in the production of fentanyl: 95% of the chemicals used to make it come from communist China. These chemicals are advertised on the dark web, and one reporter even visited the labs.

The Chinese government could halt the shipment of these chemicals immediately if they chose to. Unfortunately, most actions against this trade occur only with the consent of the Chinese authorities. Even though we know the identities of the Chinese drug kingpins, our lack of an extradition agreement with China limits our ability to take action.

These chemicals are sent to Mexico, where they are processed into fentanyl and ultimately end up on American streets. Despite this, we continue to grant China most-favored-nation status and engage in trade with them, even though their chemicals are contributing to the deaths of 100,000 Americans annually.

This issue has persisted for the past four years under the Biden-Harris administration, yet there seems to be little initiative or outreach to stop the chemical suppliers from assisting Mexican cartels.

Given the gravity of the situation, it’s crucial to consider whether a change in leadership is needed. Donald J. Trump could potentially address this issue more effectively. He would demand that Chinese leaders cease the flow of these chemicals if they wish to continue trading legitimately with the U.S.

To current diplomats handling relations with China: why isn’t this issue a top priority? To put it in perspective, the U.S. lost 58,000 lives over ten years in the Vietnam War, approximately 6,000 in Afghanistan and Iraq, and around 3,000 in the World Trade Center attacks. Yet, we are now losing about 100,000 Americans annually to fentanyl overdoses.

This crisis requires a unified, urgent response.

Dan Rivers

570 WKBN