The global Fentanyl crisis

[airiefairie]

Over the last decade, fentanyl and its analogs, extremely potent synthetic opioids, have overtaken prescription painkillers and heroin to become the leading cause of overdose deaths, especially in North America. In the US, synthetic opioids now account for the majority of drug-related fatalities among those ages 18–45, with over 100,000 overdose deaths in 2021 and 2022 alone.
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-north-american-fentanyl-crisis-and-the-spread-of-synthetic-opioids/

These lethal drugs don't just appear out of nowhere. Trafficking networks orchestrate a 3-part supply chain: precursor chemicals (largely sourced from China) fuel large scale laboratory production, often in Mexico and Canada, before distribution into the US and beyond. A major Reuters investigation found that China's lax chemical regulations have enabled these precursors to be shipped widely, sustaining the epidemic.
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/drugs-fentanyl-supplychain/

( Read more... )