How a fentanyl epidemic, killing 200 Americans a day, has gripped US

The United States is in the grip of a fentanyl epidemic. The synthetic drug, also used in pain management, is 50 times more powerful than heroin and way cheaper to produce. The US saw 75,000 deaths linked to fentanyl overdose last year. So, President-elect Donald Trump has set his eyes on the source of the problem -- China. Trump announced he would impose punitive trade tariffs against China to control the fentanyl crisis. So, when did the fentanyl problem start and how did it become a full-blown crisis that the US government is compelled to resort to punitive action against a country to contain it?

Trump, who will assume office on January 20, said people are "pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing crime and drugs at levels never seen before". He said the tariffs would stay in place "until drugs, especially fentanyl, and all illegal immigrants stop this invasion of our country."

On November 25, Trump posted on Truth Social, promising to impose additional tariffs: 10% on Chinese goods and 25% on products from Mexico and Canada. He criticised China for not taking sufficient steps to curb the flow of illicit drugs, especially fentanyl, into the US. Trump claimed past negotiations with China over the issue were ineffective.

China, however, has disagreed with the notion that it was responsible for the fentanyl crisis in the US.

"As early as 2019, China officially scheduled all fentanyl-related substances and is the first country in the world ever to do so. China has carried out extensive and in-depth counternarcotics cooperation with the US, which has been highly productive. This is a clear fact for all to see," the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Despite China's claims, fentanyl seizures have grown in the US. The drug is at the heart of the opioid crisis in America.

Under President Joe Biden, the amount of fentanyl seized at the border increased significantly, with about 21,900 pounds (12,247 kilograms) confiscated in the 2024 budget year, compared to 2,545 pounds (1,154 kilograms) in 2019, when Trump was president.

Most of the fentanyl in the US is smuggled from Mexico.

WHAT IS FENTANYL THAT KILLS 200 AMERICANS A DAY?

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as an analgesic (pain relief) and anaesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.

Fentanyl has become a major factor in the ongoing drug overdose epidemic in the US. The drug is often mixed with other substances like heroin or cocaine without the buyer's knowledge, exacerbating the crisis.

On average, fentanyl kills over 200 Americans daily, the equivalent of a packed Boeing 737 crashing every single day.

Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45 and a major factor in the historic drop in American life expectancy, according to the US House Committee.

In 2022 and 2023 alone, approximately 150,000 people died from fentanyl overdose, according to the Center for Health Statistics.

WHAT'S CHINA'S ROLE IN THE FENTANYL CRISIS IN US

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has identified China as the "main source for all fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States".

The surge in synthetic opioid-related deaths in the US after 2013 has been largely attributed to the spread of illegally made fentanyl and similar substances like acetyl fentanyl and carfentanil.

Fentanyl first appeared in the US in the 1970s under the name "China White", and its use surged in the 2010s.

In response to the growing crisis, the US government took action, but drug cartels shifted their methods, with China supplying chemicals for making fentanyl to Mexico.

These chemicals, often disguised as gadgets or shopping items, pass through customs unnoticed. Once in Mexico, they are processed into fentanyl in underground labs before being smuggled across the border into the US.

US-CHINA CO-OPERATION ON THE FENTANYL CRISIS

In 2019, China announced that it would add fentanyl-related substances to the Supplementary List of Controlled Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances with Non-medical Use. This was a significant step in regulating the drug’s production and sale, marking a breakthrough in Trump’s first term.

However, the US-China relationship became strained after the 2022 visit of then-Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan, leading China to sever several communication channels with the US, including cooperation on countering narcotics.

Bilateral talks on fentanyl resumed in 2023 when US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in San Francisco.

Since then, China has started regulating fentanyl precursors that are banned internationally and has taken steps to block the chemicals used to produce fentanyl, as well as the drug itself.

Moreover, China and the US have agreed to cooperate in tackling money laundering, which finances the international fentanyl trade. Chinese and Mexican criminal gangs are key players in this illegal operation.

Despite these efforts, China argues that the fentanyl crisis is largely a problem created by the US itself.

"The root cause of the overdose lies in the US itself, which calls for more effective measures from the US government," Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said last month.

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