President Donald Trump signed a bill classifying fentanyl as a drug of the most dangerous category. The White home ceremony was attended by families of victims of an overdose of this synthetic opioid. The Act provides for stricter penalties for those active in the illicit trade in fentanyl. Last year, about 50,000 Americans died from synthetic opioids.
The White home Law signing ceremony was attended by families of victims of an overdose of this synthetic opioid. The bill, which had two-party support in Congress, classifies fentanyl and substances akin to it as a drug of the most dangerous category.
As the White home stated, in connection with this classification, persons "holding, importing, distributing or producing" illegal fentanyl and related substances will be prosecuted and will be subject to stricter penalties. The paper "Washington Post" stressed that the Act does not supply for an increase in resources for actions aimed at drug smuggling or wellness aid schemes.
Trump threatens duties due to fentanyl
Trump previously said that smuggling fentanyl was 1 of the reasons behind his threats to rise customs duties to Mexico, Canada and China. This was besides argued by strengthening border protection and its strict migration policy.
Also on Wednesday, he said he announced tariffs to China "because of fentanyl". He besides expressed the belief that China would shortly begin to conviction the death punishment for the production and distribution of fentanyl.
China key to the addiction epidemic
According to the U.S. authorities, China plays a key function in the fentanyl epidemic in the US. They are the main maker and supplier of precursors to a synthetic drug produced by Mexican cartels.
The president accuses China that they are not doing adequate to fight their production, and Mexico and Canada - that they are not taking appropriate action to halt smuggling across the border - Bloomberg emphasised.
The most dangerous drug in America
Fentanyl is an opioid that has become the most dangerous drug in the United States in fresh years, contributing to most drug-related deaths. Sometimes fentanyl is prescribed by doctors as a cure for severe pain.
According to government data, the number of deaths due to drug overdoses in the US decreased importantly last year, but inactive around 50,000 people died in 2024 due to synthetic opioids specified as fentanyl.
From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP) Note: This article was edited with Artificial Intelligence.
