The Rise of Fentanyl and Its Role in the Opioid Crisis

Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, has become a major problem in the United States, leading to a surge in opioid overdose deaths. The drug was invented in 1959 as a hospital anesthetic by Paul Janssen, a respected pharmaceutical researcher. However, its potential for abuse and addiction was underestimated. In 2015, the US government did not consider fentanyl a significant threat, but within a year, it became the leading cause of drug overdose deaths. Fentanyl is attractive to drug dealers because it is cheap to produce, highly potent, and can be easily manufactured in clandestine labs. Most of the fentanyl in the US is supplied by China, where regulations on analogs of the drug were slow to be implemented. As a result, fentanyl enters the US drug market through Mexican cartels, who distribute it alongside heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. The danger lies in fentanyl being unknowingly mixed into other drugs like cocaine and marijuana, leading to unintentional overdoses. Despite its lethal nature, some addicts actively seek fentanyl because of its short-lasting high and potency. The illicit drug market operates in ways that defy traditional logic, as profit and addiction trump ethical considerations, ultimately leading to the poisoning of their own customers.