Fentanyl is a major problem in the United States. Currently, the synthetic opioid, which is much stronger than morphine, is being added to heroin and other drugs to increase their “kick.” Unfortunately, it’s also killing addicts because it’s hard to guess when you’re getting something that is laced with too much of this powerful drug.
China has finally agreed to help stem the tide of fentanyl into the U.S. The country intends to declare all fentanyl-related drugs a new class of controlled substances. This will help the loophole that foreign chemists use to create new synthetic drugs that act the same as fentanyl faster than the law can ban them in order to keep manufacturing and exporting the drugs. By changing the formula of fentanyl and fentanyl-related drugs in small, insignificant ways, manufacturers could continue operating inside China with legal impunity.
The change was one that was promised by the Chinese president to the Trump Administration during the G-20 Summit. Officials in this country have long blamed Chinese suppliers for the masses of synthetic drugs that make it into the U.S. Despite the new changes, China again denied that assertion.
Just the same, the new measures may make it harder to get fentanyl and similar synthetic opioids — and that’s safer for those with addictions they can’t control. The number of deaths involving fentanyl has been dramatically climbing since 2011.
For drug traffickers, this may be an additional warning signal that it’s time to get out of the business. The stronger stance on illegal drug trafficking here and abroad is a sign that shouldn’t be ignored.
If you’re in legal trouble because of a drug trafficking charge, don’t expect the government to show any leniency in these troubled times. Get an experienced defense attorney’s assistance as soon as possible.
