US regulators had earlier approved the usage of fentanyl for medical purposes as a pain reliever in the 1960s, a report claims. However, the US currently grapples with an unchecked inflow of the drug, which has resulted in several deaths.
The Trump administration has targeted China with new levies as it has cited Beijing’s failure to stop the export of chemicals used in the production of the powerful opioid fentanyl. The United States has accused China of failing to prevent criminal gangs from smuggling fentanyl into the US as it currently grapples with the inflow of the drug.
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a lethal and highly potent synthetic opioid. China and Mexico are the major sources of fentanyl inflow in the US. It is synthetic drug, which is manufactured by combining several chemicals. US regulators approved its usage for medical purposes as a pain reliever in the 1960s, according to a BBC report. However, in recent times, it has emerged as the main drug responsible for opioid overdose deaths in the US.
The crisis, according to a report by Council on Foreign Relations, peaked in 2022 and 2023, when drug overdoses caused more than 111,000 fatalities per year in the US, with a substantial number linked to fentanyl.
Report makes shocking claims about China’s involvement
A new investigation by the House Select Committee has revealed shocking details about China’s involvement in the fentanyl epidemic in the US. The report claims that almost all illegal fentanyl ingredients are made by companies having links to China. The drug is then transported to Mexican drug cartels, which then produce and ensure the proliferation of fentanyl in the US. According to the report, while fentanyl is banned in both the US and China, the Chinese government provides tax benefits to these companies.
Fentanyl is among the leading causes of death reported in the 18-45 age group, with the report further suggesting that China benefits from the proliferation of this drug both strategically and economically.
How can US check the proliferation of fentanyl?
Fentanyl is frequently mixed with other illicit drugs, and many users remain unaware that the substances they are consuming contain fentanyl. The House Committee has recommended the creation of a Joint Task Force, enforcing tougher trade policies, as well as imposing stricter sanctions.
As the US has imposed tariffs on China, citing the fentanyl issue, Beijing has sharply responded, saying, “The fentanyl issue is a flimsy excuse to raise US tariffs on Chinese imports. Our countermeasures to defend our rights and interests are fully legitimate and necessary.
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