The fentanyl epidemic is one of the biggest problems our country faces. We all see it everyday whether it's on the news, social media, or in real life; it's a heartbreaking problem that many people face. What sparked my motivation for writing this is a post I saw on instagram. It showed some kid at school playing at recess and in the same frame of that photo was a homeless man hitting a crack pipe. I felt kind of gutted. I mean there's PG rated movies for a reason; this kid was only in 2nd or 3rd grade. I can only imagine this is a small piece of the other awful things he sees going to and from school everyday. 

This issue starts in the East with China where a lot of methamphetamine, synthetic drugs, and their precursors are brought into Mexico. After sourcing it from China, Mexican Cartels such as the Sinaloa and CJNG then synthesize the precursors into fentanyl and smuggle it into the U.S. where it is distributed. The thing I find ironic about China is the fact that they have some of the strictest drug laws in the world with some penalties even resulting in death, and they’re one of the root causes of this problem.

From 1999-2021 645,000 people died from all opioids in America. In the 90s overdose deaths were up due to over the counter opioids or prescription opioids. In 2010 there was an increase in overdoses involving heroin, then in 2013 there was a significant increase in overdoses from synthetic opioids particularly those involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl and since then the streets have gotten dirtier and the homeless population has grown at an alarming rate. 

A major factor in the fentanyl crisis is the department of homeland security head - Alejandro Mayorkas. Mayorkas started serving on the DHS in February of 2021 since taking the position he has been called to resign 8 times, members of congress have pushed impeachment on him several times. The main reason for this is because in the past year the Washington Post reported that the DEA has seized 379 million lethal doses of fentanyl across the country that's enough to kill every man, woman, and child in America. Another reason is because our Southern border is wide open, though migrant crossings are down the damage is already down. Where is the federal government ? Why is Texas getting sued for securing its own border ? Why do we wait to seize the fentanyl after it's in our country and a risk to whoever gets their hands on it ? I believe the credibility gap is the widest it's ever been, and there's a lot of unanswered questions, questions we shouldn’t have to ask

Another reason I decided on this topic is because it goes hand in hand with the homeless crisis. Though the drug doesn’t literally throw them on the streets it plays a role in keeping them there. The homeless are often disconnected from treatment and many of them suffer with mental illness issues. In some major cities the U.S government has started funding  safe injection sites or overdose prevention centers. Many think they can save lives and connect people with addiction treatment, medical care, and mental health services. Some think these will encourage drug use and deteriorate the surrounding community, others come to the conclusion that the taxes they pay are going to clean needles and medical supervision so people can shoot up safely.

There are countless approaches to solving the fentanyl crisis. I think one of the most important is through our justice system. If you look at the streets in some major cities during its free reign, no one is worried about the consequences of shooting up in public because there is a lack of them. One of the factors playing into this is that many cities have eliminated cash bail. While it has its pros I think the cons are much more severe as they affect a majority of law abiding citizens. It turns the prison system into a revolving door.  It's not about facing the punishment for doing the drug, it's about stopping the cycle and rehabilitating.

Another approach is looking into foreign countries and the different drug policies they have along with their prison systems. In Portugal their government decriminalized all drugs while having intense focus on harm reduction, treatment and rehabilitation. Ten years after the change the number of addicts were halved and the amount of overdose deaths went down to 30 a year for the entire country. It had gotten so bad to the point that some users had open sores filled with maggots, others had limbs removed due to overusing. To top it all off Portugal also had the highest HIV infection in the entire European Union. In Norway around the 1990s they were facing the same problem  the U.S faces today. Almost 70% of released prisoners recomitted crimes within two years of release. Their prisons then were structured the way the United States are today with the idea that punishment is a deterrent. Realizing this wasnt working, Norway's government acted boldly in changing their entire prison system and eliminating the death penalty. Their prisons are much more humane; some can have visitors up to three times a week including conjugal visits with spouses; there is a strong emphasis on relationships so that prisoners have a strong support system when they’re released. Many prisoners have the key to their own cell. Norway’s government focused on utilizing small, community-based correctional facilities that focus on rehabilitation and reintegration into society opposed to the way we do it here in the U.S. 

The Portuguese government along with Norway's had their hands full as does ours but the difference is there was action taken, it was swift and had lasting results. I think the United States needs to take note and take action against the epidemic we face as it gets worse everyday.