Sam Amico
How big of a problem has fentanyl become in the U.S.? Well, big enough that it could conceivably kill everyone in the entire country.
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That’s how much the DEA said it has seized in 2022 alone, with more than 379 million deadly doses being recovered. And remember, that’s just what the DEA has found.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat facing this country. It is a highly addictive man-made opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin,” the DEA website reads. “Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose.”
In an effort to slow the rise of this deadly drug, the DEA is targeting two Mexican cartels — the Sinaloa and Jalisco, or CJNG, which are “primarily responsible for the fentanyl that is killing Americans today,” according to DEA administrator Anne Milgram.
The DEA Seized Enough Fentanyl to Kill Everyone in the US
The majority of the fentanyl is being produced in secret factories in Mexico and often resembles normal prescription drugs such as OxyContin, Percocet, and Xanax. The chemicals used to make these pills are sourced largely from China, the DEA said.
Along with the regular sale of drugs on the street, some pills have been purchased on social media, with customers being made to believe they are legitimate prescription drugs. The DEA issued a warning because of it.
“No pharmaceutical pill bought on social media is safe,” the DEA wrote. “The only safe medications are ones prescribed directly to you by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist.”
DEA research indicated that in 2022, six out of 10 fake prescription pills purchased online were laced with lethal doses of fentanyl.
“In 2022, DEA seized more than double the amount of fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills that it seized in 2021,” it wrote. “DEA also seized nearly 131,000 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 4,300 pounds of heroin, and over 444,000 pounds of cocaine.”
The organization has set up an updated counter to track the number of fentanyl pills and powder seized. which can be found at http://www.dea.gov.
But no one mentions all the people who are in serious pain because they don’t have pain killers to help them for a few days at least!