President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico is partly aimed at combating the illicit flow of fentanyl into the US.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Canada will implement a USD 1.3 billion border plan aimed at stopping the flow of fentanyl into the United States. In return, Trump said he would pause tariffs on Canadian goods for 30 days following the implementation of the plan.
“Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl that have been pouring into our Country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, while destroying their families and communities all across our Country”, Trump said on Truth Social.
What Is Fentanyl?
A quick Google search tells us that it’s a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent.
In simple words, fentanyl is an opioid medication to treat severe pain.
“In India, you cannot get Fentanyl over the counter. The drug is used during surgery, acts as an adjunct to anaesthesia or, at times, works for post-surgery pain management, “said Dr Tarun Mittal, a Surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
“Fentanyl is used by doctors on patients with severe pain, for mainly short term as there is an addictive potential,” said Dr Mittal.
Fentanyl Crisis In The US
The US is dealing with the illegally used fentanyl, most often associated with recent overdoses, which is made in labs. This synthetic fentanyl is sold illegally as a powder, dropped onto blotter paper, put in eye droppers and nasal sprays, or made into pills that look like other prescription opioids.
According to media reports, the opioid is blamed for some 70,000 overdose deaths annually.
Dr Mittal does admit that if it’s been used in high doses, it can be fatal to one’s life. “Like heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs, fentanyl works by binding to the body’s opioid receptors, which are found in areas of the brain that control pain and emotions. When people become addicted, drug-seeking and drug use take over their lives. At times, an overdose of fentanyl can cause slow breathing or even stop breathing. This results in hypoxia. When the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain decreases. Hypoxia can lead to a coma and permanent brain damage, and even death.”
How Is Fentanyl Addiction Treated?
“Yes, gradually, over a period of time, it can be treated. Like other opioid addictions, medical therapy along with behavioural therapies are effective in treating people with fentanyl addiction,” said Dr Mittal.
Where Does Fentanyl Come From?
Accoridng to media reports, the ingredients in fentanyl are largely produced by companies in China and used by pharmaceutical companies to make legal painkillers. But a portion of those chemicals is purchased by the drug cartels in Mexico.
Cartels make the synthetic opioid in labs and then smuggle it into the US, largely at official land crossings in California and Arizona. The small amounts of fentanyl in any shipment — the drug is 50 times more potent than heroin — and its lack of odor make detection and seizures extremely challenging.
