AMAC Exclusive – By Andrew Abbott
![Border](https://static-asset.amac.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/28063417/drugs-america.jpg)
According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, from April 2020 to April 2021, 100,306 Americans died from drug overdoses – the highest number in history – and the first time, that gruesome figure had topped 100,000. After drug overdose deaths rose sharply from 2000-2017, they leveled off and began to decline from 2018 to 2020, thanks in large part to Trump-era border and drug control policies. However, the effects of the pandemic reversed much of that progress, and now President Joe Biden’s policy of effectively open borders threatens to exacerbate the crisis to previously unimaginable heights.
Experts believe the widespread despair and isolation brought on by pandemic shutdowns were the primary causes of the spike in overdose deaths during 2020 and 2021. According to the CDC, “Synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, caused nearly two-thirds (64%) of all drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending April 2021, up 49% from the year before.” While deaths from the use of other drugs also increased, no drug in recent history has caused more deaths than fentanyl.
While there are many different versions, fentanyl is, by far, the most prolific synthetic opioid and the largest contributor to the record overdose rates. Most traditional painkillers (Opium, Heroin, Morphine) are known as “opiates” and are derived from natural plants like the opium poppy. Production of these drugs usually requires access to large fields of natural plants that can be harvested and synthesized locally. This is how drug cartels in places like Afghanistan and Central America produced these powerful and lucrative substances.
These new and deadly painkillers are not simply more powerful, but exponentially more efficient to create. Synthetic opioids are generally not made with plant matter, but are instead created almost entirely in a lab and “synthesized” with chemical compounds. As one DEA Agent told Science Magazine, “For the cartels, why wait for a field of poppies to grow and harvest if you can get your hands on the precursor chemicals and cook a batch of fentanyl in a lab?” As a result, even a small lab can create larger amounts of drugs that are far more powerful than their predecessors.
These synthetic opioids are overwhelmingly produced in one place: China. Under intense international pressure, China began regulating the production and prescribing of fentanyl in 2015, along with 116 other synthetic drugs. Yet, almost immediately, Chinese producers expanded production in “underground” labs, where more potent versions of the drugs are being created. These drugs were smuggled into America by hiding them in packages. Yet, as authorities cracked down on the practice, Chinese manufacturers began importing the drugs into Mexico, where they are then smuggled across the border by Mexican cartels. According to a December 2020 report, Chinese manufacturers have expanded their plant operations into Mexico so that the drugs can be directly developed in that country and more efficiently smuggled across the border.
It was in part as a response to this growing crisis that President Donald Trump enacted Title 42 in March 2020, a provision that allows the government to remove foreign nationals arriving from countries where there is an “existence of any communicable disease.” As a result, the federal government was able to aggressively crack down on drug smugglers – saving lives in the process.
But as Biden has eliminated Trump-era border policies, fentanyl has once again begun pouring across the U.S.-Mexico border and making its way into American communities. As illegal border crossings have surged to record highs, so too has the amount of illegal narcotics that border patrol agents seize – indicating that there is a far greater amount of illicit drugs that make it through border checkpoints.
At the same time, Democrats at the federal and state level have continued their soft-on-crime approach when it comes to drug trafficking. Just this week, two suspected drug traffickers who were arrested with $150,000 worth of fentanyl pills were released after a short stint in jail. Throughout the country, the story is the same: criminals are caught and then released to continue poisoning Americans.
At the same time, many liberal governments have inexplicably sought to “empower” safe drug use. Cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco have aggressively moved to destigmatize drug use, and their radical district attorneys have refused to prosecute open-air drug sales and use. By all accounts, they seem to be more focused on providing clean drug needles and safe injection sites than providing paths to rehabilitation. This month, the New York Health Department even released a series of public ads normalizing fentanyl use, touting slogans like “Don’t be ashamed you are using, be empowered that you are using safely.” The ads all suggest that there are “safe ways” to use fentanyl. Since the campaign launched, several health officials have blasted the department for suggesting there is a “safe” way to use a fundamentally unsafe drug.
There is no proof that this “harm reduction” approach is effective at curbing drug use. At the same time, the Biden administration has shown no signs of clamping down on the rampant illegal immigration that is a major contributing factor to the crisis. For the communities throughout the country being ravaged by the scourge of opioids – and facing down a looming recession – the results of Democrats’ failures could be more deadly than ever before.
Andrew Abbott is the pen name of a writer and public affairs consultant with over a decade of experience in DC at the intersection of politics and culture.
Its been epidemic since day 1
When you have a dope in the office….you’re going to have a dope problem. To kill a snake, you have to remove its head.
Don’t expect anything to improve on this issue until a different POTUS, one like Trump who actually took real steps to control the border, sits in the White House. Absent that, this situation will continue.
Other news articles I have read [various sources, even “mainstream”] reported that it was not $150,000 worth of fentanyl, it was 150,000 fentanyl tablets which sell for $5 a pop, thus worth WAY MORE than $150,000. ….. And they just let the 2 guys walk away…. thank you, democrats.
Many Americans are very critical of Biden’s incompetence and inability to tell the truth. However, the tens of thousands of Americans who are needlessly dying, because of the deadly drug explosion, which goes hand in hand with the obvious disaster of a porous southern border, is so horrible that there are no words which can aptly criticize Biden’s failure to protect Americans from chaotic forces that are totally out of control. How can Biden consider himself a practicing Catholic, when he has no empathy for all the lives being lost because of his refusal to Constitutionally protect Americans to the best of his ability. He took an oath which he has trampled into the ground. Biden is protecting the drug cartels. How does this all make any sense?
Choices have consequences and this is where the choices have brought us. Not really much of anything more to say and do until the choices change.
The IDEA is to KILL as many Americans as possible by this administration and REPLACE with new unsuspecting low income/low education people that they can manipulate easier!! They support DE POPULATION by MANY means. OD,open borders,low food supply, abortion,the “JAB”.. Blk on Blk CRIME…ETC……
Isn’t this what happened to China during the Opium War with Britain when China wanted to suppress the illegal trade of opium and Britain didn’t? The Chinese were being afflicted with increasing addiction in the population. Looks like history may be repeating itself. I wonder why the democrats and their allies, the liberal media, want to have the American population exposed to the dangers of fentanyl? Britain and later France benefited with control over large parts of China by the opium trade. In fact, there were opium dens in China, similar to the “safe drug administering” havens now being established. I wish more people read history.
This is far from the only deadly thing that the demorats have brought us over the years and esp. in the last 18 or so months ,, americans have been starving for years and we keep taking in more immigrants and giving them what we arent giving the ones that were born here , money , food and a place to live ,, THE DEMORATS ARE KILLING ALL OF AMERICA AT A FAST PACE ,,, all they want in this country are sheep and they have a damn good following so far ,, GO VOTE PEOPLE IF YOU DONT LIKE WHERE THIS COUNTRY AND MOST OF YOUR MONEY ARE GOING ,,,,,,
Every death in America from Drug Overdose from Drugs that are smuggled in are on the hands of the Democrats and Lying Hidden Joe Biden. Talk about mass murder, the Democrats can do it and not get their hands dirty, with powder residue!
Biden is the devil in sheeps clothing.
DIMMs are the PARTY OF DEATH : abortion, drug overdoses, unclean sexual antics, crime! Now we have “monkeypox” being spread by one of the DIMMs favorite groups!
“The border is closed!” asserts the latest DHS pronouncement, when confronted with the overwhelming evidence of uncontested drug importations. Make a list of every public individual who interferes with the enforcement of legitimate laws toremind us of whom must be targeted after the next election. A good read: Fresno County farmer Victor Davis Hanson’s “The Dying Citizen.”
Yet another in the very very long list of failures by the democrats / Biden administration. Just one more reason to ask if there is anything the democrats can do correctly?
If you’re still voting democrat you are stupid
“…there are “safe ways” to use fentanyl.” Are you kidding me, New York Health Department?! The next family grieving over the loss of a son or daughter in NY should take the state to court for suggesting that someone can be empowered by “using safely”.
I just heard a report that 5 attendees at a world-class equestrian center in NC became ill after licking fentanyl-laced lollipops. The reporter said they survived and knew they were ingesting drugs. What the he<< is going on in this country that this sort of thinking is becoming the norm? It’s just insane.
It’s not over, President Joe Biden and his Administration will do more harm to our country. They are so out of touch and incorrigible. NO competency in Biden’s group of know nothings!
People should watch National Geographic on Saturday about the cocaine or other opiates and see how other countries handle this drug problem. Puppet biden doesn’t have a clue and care nothing for the American. His interest is lying and traveling to tell more lies to other countries. What a disaster
Neither Regan or Trump and certainly not Joe have done anything meaningful to STOP the drug crisis in America. We don’t want to. We love our idols, worship them and feed them into our bodies as a way to show our loyalty. We march in mass to stop or prevent other things that are important to us, but you don’t see a protest to stop the drug traffic and usage in America. Over 100,000 deaths don’t interest us. Drug deaths don’t matter regardless of what color their skin is. We won’t give up our drugs to make America Great again and our government isn’t going to stop it. We can stop it: we know where it comes from, who’s responsible for it and who controls it. We even know who’s dealing it on the streets but weren’t not going to stop them, we don’t want to, we like out drugs. Gun violence is minimal compared to the death and destruction of drugs in this country. Drugs are in our schools at all grades now, in our playgrounds, parks-are we demanding change, does it dominate CNN or FOX News for weeks, do all the talk shows demand change? No, we don’t want the drugs to go away, we like our addiction.
ANOTHER biden failure! He is SUCH a threat to the US! Why haven’t we impeached him??
The people in DC are supposed to represent the citizens and other legal residents of our country. Too bad they’re more concerned about making more money for themselves through all their rich lobbyists and holding on to their power. What a worthless bunch!!! Let’s set them straight in November. We must vote very carefully. Let’s get rid of the old blood and bring in some Patriotic, USA loving people who will put ‘We the People’ at the top of their priority list!!! GOD BLESS the USA
If we could close the border, it would save so many lives !!!! –those that die trying to get here and those who use the illegal drugs !!!! I find it rediculous, though that we need to protect people from illegal drugs — Who, in their right mind, would buy drugs off the street?
Biden, himself, is a disaster. He is single-handedly ruining and destroying America. He needs to gone, but we would have Kammy or PeLOUSY following. We are in deep dodo.
We talk about this for 2 years and can nothing be done ? We just let them ruin our country ??
Hmm, I think that Joe Biden might do something about the opioid crisis, since his son has a big drug problem. I know Biden doesn’t care about the average American, but I think he should care about Hunter????????????????????
What people need to get through their heads, is the FACT that Democrats DON’T CARE about anyone’s lives but their own! They are killers at heart and have NO conscience. They are Depopulists, Racists,Baby Killers, Vaccine Pushers,Crime Supporters, Riot Funders, Food Poisoners,Genocidal Maniacs, and on and ON. And they think we’re going to allow them to DISARM US???
I hate Trump but Biden has done so much to destroy the nation that Trump would be welcome. I pray for DeSantis in 2024. Maybe he can undo the Biden harm – at least partially
Drugs are everywhere. Just look at the faces of Pelosi, Ocasio and Kamala. This might be why they actually believe what they are doing is right!
I fear more laws governing use of pain medications. I suffer chronic lower back pain.i have a spinal stimulater implanted which reduces some of the pain but not all. I have been taking prescribed Hydrocodone for some time and it reduces the pain to a tolerable level. I have never been “high” on the drug because I only take them as directed. However the state keeps enacting more “safeguards” to “protect” us but makes it more difficult to obtain our Rxs. I must now see a specialist pain doctor to get my Rx. I can only go to a specified pharmacy to get only enough pills to barely deal with the pain. Once the pharmacy ran out and their shipment had not arrived leaving me in the cold without. Fortunately my pharmacy sympathized and located a partial Rx refill another of their locations to get me through ’til their shipment came in. I have to be seen once a month to get my Rx which drives my Healthcare cost up. All in all legislation is making those of us who truly need the medication pay for those who abuse it. How about remembering us when you legislate.
Oh yes – and yes MORE failed policy from the marxist democrat party!!
EVERYTHING the democrats do is BAD FOR AMERICA!
WAKE UP People – THROW THEM OUT!
While we go viral over the 21,000 killed in gun violence (and we should) over a 100,000 die from drugs and there’s hardly a whisper. Oh, ban those guns and condemn anyone who owns one and destroy the NRA but don’t take my drugs away. Lets march on the capital, lets attack our senators and threaten them. But don’t take my drugs away. I need my drugs to get by every day, I need my seller that provides them to me at school, on my street and at work. They’re even nice enough to sell them to my children. I’m not talking legal pain killers, I’m talking illegal imported or home made drugs that are killing people daily, ruining lives and destroying families. Until we are able to end our drug problems all other issues are meaningless. It doesn’t make any difference who’s in the WH or who controls congress, Governers are useless, and the police have had it with risking their lives to arrests this scum only to be jailed themselves and fired for their efforts. And now we are having gang wars where bullets are spraying everywhere and by standers are getting killed. We know who’s selling what and where – they don’t hide it anymore. The police can stop it. But someone might get shot. Oh, it’s OK to resist arrest and shoot a cop but it’s assault to arrest a criminal and if they shoot one – you’re going to jail. We can take back out cities, our schools and our streets but we don’t want to, we want our drugs, we need out drugs…