Combating the Third Opioid Wave
The opioid epidemic has plagued our nation for nearly three decades now. Scientists have observed its devastating effects in three waves. The first began in 1991 with a sudden increase in deaths attributed to prescribed painkillers. The second wave around 2010 was connected to heroin usage. And today, we are experiencing the third wave of the epidemic with a surge in deaths linked to a new drug called fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has gained popularity among drug dealers for two reasons. First, it is much easier to produce than other forms of opioid because its ingredients, mostly chemicals, are easily supplied as compared to natural ingredients that can be affected by factors such as harvest. Secondly, its effects are much more powerful — over 50 times stronger than some forms of heroin. This allows dealers to make more profit from smaller amounts. While these characteristics might make fentanyl an ideal drug for dealers, the same cannot be said for its users. The high from fentanyl tends to fade away more quickly than heroin, leading to more frequent use and higher chances of overdose.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has gained popularity among drug dealers for two reasons. First, it is much easier to produce than other forms of opioid because its ingredients, mostly chemicals, are easily supplied as compared to natural ingredients that can be affected by factors such as harvest. Secondly, its effects are much more powerful — over 50 times stronger than some forms of heroin. This allows dealers to make more profit from smaller amounts. While these characteristics might make fentanyl an ideal drug for dealers, the same cannot be said for its users. The high from fentanyl tends to fade away more quickly than heroin, leading to more frequent use and higher chances of overdose.
Strict inspection and security guidelines for all global packages into U.S. help prevent the flow of illicit drugs into the country.
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The spread of fentanyl nationwide is not only due to its profitability but also its contamination with other illicit drugs, sometimes intentionally and sometimes accidentally. This explains the statistics of fentanyl-linked deaths in the U.S., where the effects of fentanyl were more prominently experienced in certain regions. For example, because it is easier to mix white fentanyl crystals into the white, powdered heroin that is common in the East Coast than into the black-tar heroin that is found more prominently in the West, the incidence of fentanyl contamination and related deaths is highest in New England, followed by the Midwest, and finally the Western states. It is also hypothesized that relatively new drugs, such as fentanyl, tend to be tested in states in New England where there is a comparatively longer history of opioid circulation in the market.
These findings and trends bring to light not only how extreme a threat fentanyl poses to public health but also the importance of considering multiple factors from production, geography, form, history, and more in fighting this third opioid wave that is impacting our country today. Some measures are being enacted to combat this crisis, most notably the passing of the Stop Act. This requires all global packages sent into the country to have advanced electronic information for security, as a majority of the supply of fentanyl comes from China. However, the new process has yet to be implemented by the United States Postal Service, and it might be years until any significant improvements are made to stop the crisis.
These findings and trends bring to light not only how extreme a threat fentanyl poses to public health but also the importance of considering multiple factors from production, geography, form, history, and more in fighting this third opioid wave that is impacting our country today. Some measures are being enacted to combat this crisis, most notably the passing of the Stop Act. This requires all global packages sent into the country to have advanced electronic information for security, as a majority of the supply of fentanyl comes from China. However, the new process has yet to be implemented by the United States Postal Service, and it might be years until any significant improvements are made to stop the crisis.
Featured Image Source: stevepb
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