The prevalence of the deadly drug fentanyl is on the rise in the United States.
The Department of Justice announced on Sept. 30 that law enforcement officials seized over 1.8 million counterfeit prescription drugs containing fentanyl and over 1,543 pounds of fentanyl powder. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) pointed out that most drugs disguised as prescription drugs in the United States are produced in Mexico, and the components used to make fentanyl come from China.
More than 93,000 Americans died from a drug overdose in 2020, 30 percent more than in 2019 and the highest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded in the United States, Lisa O. Monaco, deputy attorney general of the Justice Department, said in a Sept. 30 speech. Opioids are responsible for 75 percent of these deaths, with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, being the leading cause of death.
“Counterfeit pills have been identified in every state in this country,” she said. “They are being sold in inner cities, suburbs, and rural communities.”
She talked about the “One pill can kill” campaign and cited, “More than 9.5 million counterfeit pills were seized so far this year—that’s more than the last two years combined.”
These drugs look like prescription drugs. They are cheap, aimed at teenagers, and extremely harmful to American society, according to Monaco.
Drugs From China
On Aug. 24, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) released a report, saying that “China remains the primary country of origin for illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States.” While the number of fentanyl products coming directly from China to the United States is decreasing, the amount of fentanyl products diverted to Mexico and then illegally entering the United States is skyrocketing. The report makes clear that the Chinese regime’s cooperation in this area “remains limited.”
By Kathleen Li
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