Fentanyl: America’s struggle to contain a deadly drug

https://www.ft.com/content/bd1b1614-8407-4447-a0e3-3723368fbbf8?shareType=nongift

by vijayr02 • 3 years ago

2 6 3 years ago

ft.com

vijayr02• 3 years ago

Non-paywall link:

https://archive.is/5u8co

hunglee2• 3 years ago

Drug consumption is at least as much a demand side problem as a supply side one.

The chemical precursors for the production of Fentanyl are widely used in the legal pharmaceutical industry. Focusing the entire suppression effort on the supply is akin to blaming global steel producers for local gun deaths. Furthermore, whilst fentanyl abuse is a global problem, it is particularly acute in the US, likely stemming from decades long over prescription of legal opiates, which seeded the addict population so that propagation of addiction of illegal substances would be inevitable.

There are clear examples of states which have stopped epidemic drug abuse - Communist China is in fact one of those examples - but if that is too unpalatable for US policy makers to take lessons from, try Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew for an more acceptable Asian face for the eradication of this societal menace.

Bottom line is that you need centralised state intervention to eliminate dealers and distributors, coupled with renditions to remove the vulnerable from the exposure to opportunity, coupled with pathways out of poverty for those who wish to take a different life.

buck4roo2• 3 years ago

Drug consumption is at least as much a demand side problem as a supply side one.

Perhaps you meant "drug importation is at least..."

The importation of fentanyl is not due to demand.

The importation of fentanyl is due to it's low cost (synthetic ingredients) and high potency (less mass, smaller volume when smuggling) - and its ability to be added as a potent adulterant to any other drug (can be used to cut any other drug, to increase dealer profits) - all without end consumer's knowledge or desire that it is in there.

Bottom line is that you need centralised state intervention to eliminate dealers and distributors, coupled with renditions to remove the vulnerable from the exposure to opportunity, coupled with pathways out of poverty for those who wish to take a different life.

An overwhelming number of accidental overdoses begins with patients becoming addicted to pharmaceutical pain medications after surgery/medical-care. Those patients need continuous, unfettered access to both the medication they are addicted to, and no-cost medical care (and income replacement, if they are working), in order to allow them to enter inpatient detox programs. The FDA's approach to treating doctors as criminals if they provide long-term access to Rx pain medication is an injustice to every patient in need.

Patients that are unable to provide themselves with the pain medication they have become addicted to (through no fault of their own) will seek other sources, which is where non-pharmaceutical (black-market counterfeits) and fentanyl enter the picture.

senttoschool• 3 years ago

It's pointless to ask China to help curb the chemicals supplied to Mexico's drug cartels. The cartels will just buy the chemicals from somewhere else, maybe pay a little bit extra, or even make their own.

I think the only solution is to press Mexico for allowing its drug cartels to operate. First it was weed, then cocaine, now fentanyl which is the worst.

Let the US send in its army to put a lid on the cartels.

simonblack• 3 years ago

Reverse Opium Wars.

What goes around, tends to come around. History repeats.

buck4roo2• 3 years ago

The US government and drug cartels can't even agree on what constitutes harm reduction.

https://www.businessinsider.com/mexican-cartel-operatives-di...

Fentanyl: America’s struggle to contain a deadly drug

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