By Luis Diaz
The fentanyl crisis happening in America has gotten worse; government officials have been combating the fight against the drug, but it won’t end anytime soon.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is about 50-100 times stronger than morphine according to DEA.gov.
Last August, the Drug Agency Association issued a warning that a new type of fentanyl was being distributed by drug traffickers named rainbow fentanyl.
This drug looks exactly like Skittles.
Parents especially get worried during Halloween season. They fear that when their kids go out to trick or treat – the kids may get the deadly drug, consume it and potentially die.
Not only does fentanyl worsen the drug crisis, but every other pain reliever as well.
People become addicted to pain relievers because they trigger the brain’s reward system by releasing the “feel good” chemical and endorphins.
According to the California Department of Public Health, more than 6,843 opioid-related deaths happened in California in 2021, with; 5,722 of the deaths were related to fentanyl.
Awareness is something that needs to be enforced not only in California but all over the nation. The public needs to be more informed of opioid addictions and fentanyl reaching children in order to alleviate the growing crisis.
In January, California Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed new investments to reduce overdoses, support recovery efforts, education and more according to the state’s offical website.
Since stepping into office, Gov. Newsom has dedicated more than $1 billion in funding to fight the opioid crisis. Over 28,765 pounds of fentanyl have been seized by law enforcement and California’s National Guard according to the state of California.
With the Guard’s help, law enforcement seized 594% more fentanyl compared to 2021.
However, this is not enough; drug traffickers continue to get smarter, push for more production and transport illicit goods to more places in the U.S.
The dent has only been the bare minimum. Drug traffickers will keep finding ways to keep the drug on the streets no matter how much the DEA gets on their tails.
East Los Angeles College student Juan Cruz said, “This is a serious issue. This drug can be obtained through a prescription from the doctor. There are some that are sold over the counter.
“Government officials and the DEA need to keep putting pressure on these drug traffickers.”
The busts need to be bigger and quicker, cornering these drug traffickers and helping people recover from this drug are the key ways to combat it.
If they continue at this rate, the dent can grow and change could be possible.
With spring break coming up, this is the perfect opportunity for drug traffickers in the U.S and Mexico to strike.
The war against fentanyl isn’t like any other previous drug war.
The government can seize all the fentanyl in the world and try to keep the drug off the streets, but it’s something that will always be around.
Government officials have been funding the fight against it, but drug traffickers will keep finding ways to continue to distribute the drug through its connected network.
Even though it seems the fentanyl crisis will not go away anytime soon – a future with less opioid deaths is possible with enough dedication from government officials, law enforcement and the public.