FENTANYL CRISIS DEMANDS OUR FULL ATTENTION
Listening to a Sunday news show with a roundtable of governors discussing the drug wars in their states was more eye opening than I had expected. It wasn’t about the increased use of alcohol, marijuana, prescription stimulants and methamphetamines, which are the most widely used drugs in the country. The issue was fentanyl. The increasing addiction to and overdose deaths from fentanyl have become a major policy focus for every state.
It’s a common myth that fentanyl is being smuggled across our Southern border by illegal immigrants. The reality is that most government fentanyl seizures occur at legal crossing points — not on illegal migration routes. In 2021, 86.3% of convicted drug traffickers were American citizens crossing the border legally.
During COVID travel restrictions, fentanyl gained popularity among smugglers as it’s easier to hide than heroin. Consumers subsidized this — they paid retail dealers who paid wholesalers with cash transferred back to Mexico to fund more smugglers.
As horrific as the figures are about fentanyl seizures, overdoses and deaths, the most alarming aspect of the governors’ discussion was the creation of a black market that drug cartels designed to induce addiction.
This black market targets folks who are unable to afford the drugs prescribed for them. Desperate, these people turn to online suppliers. They have no idea that the medicines that they’re receiving may be laced with powerful opioids like fentanyl. They have not chosen to ingest these opioids, but quickly become addicted, unaware of what they’ve done. Criminalizing these folks is not a solution to the fentanyl scourge. As one of the governors said, “We cannot jail our way out of this.”
This is a public health emergency in which the governors are relying on behavioral therapists to assist the addicted. The success of Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota has been noteworthy. His effort involved recruiting not only behavioral therapists but also former addicts to help those who are addicted. Burgum has been clear about the evolving crisis: “We believe that behavioral health, mental health, the disease of addiction — it’s all health, and it should be treated as such by focusing on the foundations of well-being, the physical health, the behavioral health and the economic health, and we can continue to grow as a strong and healthy state.”
The DEA has stated that fentanyl will continue to contribute to high numbers of drug overdose deaths. What to do?
North Dakota has demonstrated that its approach has led to one of the lowest number of fentanyl deaths in the country. How can other states, and the federal government, replicate North Dakota’s successful approach?
First of all, we must stop blaming illegal immigrants for the fentanyl crisis and looking to border patrols for a solution. Second, banning asylum to immigrants will not be effective because the smugglers are largely American citizens crossing the border legally. Third, drug prices should be moderated so that the black market for these drugs doesn’t continue to flourish. Fourth, we must treat addiction as a health crisis and plan accordingly. Therefore, the government must adopt policies that facilitate treatment that reduce the harm from addiction — most importantly deaths.
This is a national crisis which needs federal intervention. Contact your U.S. representative and senator and demand they support President Joe Biden’s efforts to crack down on fentanyl trafficking and traffickers as well as expand access to intervention and treatment services.