Context

The US Secretary of State during his three-day visit to China spoke about the production and export of “synthetic opioid precursors”, specifically the drug fentanyl.

• Fentanyl synthetic opioids are the leading killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 49.

About Opioids

They are a class of drugs that “derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant”. Some common opioids include oxycodone, morphine, codeine, heroin, and fentanyl.

• Impacts: According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA, they are very addictive and have a range of effects, such as euphoria and pain relief.

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Fentanyl Synthetic Opioids

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as an analgesic [for pain relief] and anesthetic. 

• Impact: It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic.” 
  • Overdoses can cause “stupor, changes in pupil size, clammy skin, cyanosis [blue skin], coma, and respiratory failure leading to death”.
• Opioids have an instantaneous effect that gets off quickly, necessitating regular use. People who first start taking opioid-based prescription painkillers frequently develop addictions.

United States’ Opioid Epidemic

• Reason: The US saw a spike in synthetic opioid-related deaths after 2013, largely due to the rapid proliferation of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues like acetyl fentanyl and carfentanil. 
  • A US House Committee report found that inexpensive fentanyl is increasingly cut into other drugs, often without the buyers’ knowledge.
• China’s Role in the Opioid Epidemic: The US has primarily blamed Mexico and China for the trafficking of fentanyl.
  • As per 2020 DEA intelligence report, fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances were trafficked from China through international mail and express consignment operations.
  • Several Chinese companies in Wuhan and Shanghai are involved in the manufacturing of chemicals used to create synthetic opioids (precursors). 
  • China-manufactured chemicals are shipped to Mexico for processing into pills and then sent to the US.
  • China subsidies fentanyl production through tax rebates to companies.

Efforts to Deal with Fentanyl Synthetic Opioids Crisis

• Regulation of Fentanyl Production and Export: In 2019, China announced it would add fentanyl-related substances to a list of controlled narcotic drugs. 
• US-China Cooperation: In November 2023, a bilateral Counternarcotics Working Group was announced to coordinate law enforcement actions and address the misuse of precursor chemicals, among other things.
• FEND Off Fentanyl Law: The US recently enacted the FEND Off Fentanyl Bill into law to confront “illicit fentanyl traffickers in Mexico and the producers of precursor chemicals in China.

Challenges in dealing with the Fentanyl Synthetic Opioids Crisis

• Fentanyl Production as Employment Source: Many provinces view fentanyl production as a means of providing employment opportunities. 
  • To evade law enforcement agencies, operations often slightly tweak the formulae of certain chemicals. 
• Allegations Against US Pharmaceutical Companies in Opioid Crisis:  They have faced allegations of distributing powerful opioid prescriptions to patients, contributing to their addiction and the subsequent pursuit of stronger drugs.