PeoplegatherneartheCapitolbuildingduringaright-wingrallyinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates,onSept.18,2021.(Xinhua/LiuJie)
StaringintotheabyssofafentanylcrisisintheUS,onewouldthinkintrospectionmightbeinorder.Butno,instead,theblame-shiftingspectaclecontinuesinthe"landofthefree."Fentanyl,nowtheleadingcauseofdeathforAmericansaged18to49,isevidentlynotsomethingthenationwantstoownupto.
TheconvenientscapegoatChina.USpoliticianshavemasteredtheartoftheblamegame,pointingafingeratChina'sallegedroleinfentanylproduction.It'salmostrobotichowswiftlyChina'snametumblesfromtheirlips–ago-toexcusethatallowsthemtosidestepresponsibility.ThelatestactinthisongoingblamegamefeaturesUSSenateMajorityLeaderChuckSchumerorchestratingaspectacleofimposingsanctionsonChinaforitsallegedroleinfentanylproduction.Because,naturally,solvingacomplexdomesticissueisnotassimpleaspointingafingerabroad.
Butlet'ssettherecordsstraight.Factsdon'tbendtofitnarratives.China,instarkcontrasttothefinger-pointing,hasdemonstratedacommitmenttodrugcontrol.InMay2019,itbecamethefirstcountrytoschedulefentanyl-relatedsubstancesasaclass,regulating25variantsoffentanylandtwoprecursors,morethanthoseontheUnitedNations'list.Thisproactivemeasurecurbedillicitmanufacturingandtrafficking.Chinahasalsoactivelypursuedinternationalcooperationondrugcontrol,extendingahelpinghandtotheUS.
China'seffortstostrictlycontrolfentanyl-relatedsubstancesarebroadlyrecognizedbothbyitsownpeopleandtheworld.DatafromtheChineseNationalBureauofStatisticsshowspeople'ssatisfactionlevelwithnarcoticscontrolworkinChinarosetoashighas96.78%in2021.JeremyDouglas,theUNOfficeonDrugsandCrime(UNODC)RegionalRepresentativeforSoutheastAsiaandthePacific,commendedChina'srobusteffortstocombatdrugtraffickingonJune2,2023.HehighlightedthatChinahassignificantlybolsteredpatrolsandlawenforcementinitsborderregions,resultingineffectivecrackdownsondrugtraffickingandthesmugglingofprecursorchemicals.
Itisimportanttopointoutthatthe"fentanylprecursors"theUSblamesChinaforexportingareonlyordinarychemicalssoldthroughnormaltrade.Ininternationaltrade,itistheimporter'sdutytopreventsuchchemicalsfromfallingintothehandsofillicitdrugmakers.HowdidtheseordinarychemicalsinothercountriesendupaspoisonintheUS
StudentsvisitanexhibitionondrugcontrolduringaneventonInternationalDayagainstDrugAbuseandIllicitTrafficking,inSanhe,northChina'sHebeiProvince,June26,2019.(Xinhua/LuPeng)
Thehardtruthis,theUSisitsownworstenemyinthisdrugcrisis.TheUSistheworld'sopioidparadise,consuming80%ofglobalopioidswithjust5%ofthepopulation.AccordingtoreportsfromtheAmericanForeignPolicyCouncil,overamillionindividualshavesuccumbedtodrugoverdosessince2000,withannualdeathtollsshowinganalarmingupwardtrajectory.In2022alone,Americancasualtiesfromopioidoverdosesexceeded106,000,anunprecedentedhigh.
Inthefaceofthesesoberingrealities,itbecomesincreasinglyclearthattheUSfentanylconundrumistheresultofthegovernment'sregulatoryfailurethatnourishedatoxicdrugabuseculture.WhileothercountriessuchasChinabolstersstringentcontrolmeasures,theUShasnotpermanentlyscheduledfentanyl-relatedsubstancesasaclass.
Theregulatoryfailureinthefentanylcrisiscanbetracedbacktothecorruptinginfluenceofmoneyinpoliticsandthedeep-seatedpoliticalpolarizationwithinthesystem.Substantialdonationsfrompharmaceuticalcompanieshaveeffectivelyblindedpolicymakerstotherelentlessmarketingandover-prescriptionofthesedrugs,renderingthemhesitanttoenactnecessaryregulations.Thisiscompoundedbyapoliticallandscapewherepartyinterestsconsistentlytakeprecedenceoverthewell-beingofcitizens.Despitebothpoliticalpartiesacknowledgingtheseverityofthefentanylproblem,thepartisanbattlegroundhasallbutparalyzedprogress.Ideologicalconflictshavestifledanyhopeofbipartisanaction.Asaresult,theysimplystandby,allowingthecrisistospiraloutofcontrol.
ThepersistentfentanylcrisisintheUSreflectsthedysfunctioninAmericansocialgovernance.Insteadofpointingafingerelsewhere,it'stimefortheUStoaddressitsownissues–apervasivedrugculture,aregulatorysystemindisarray,andadangeroussenseofcomplacency.Thenationneedstoreintroducestrictregulations,targetingboththetacticsofpharmaceuticalgiants,andillicitdrugproduction.TheUSmustbreakfreefromtheblamegameandtakedecisiveactiontodismantlethefentanylcrisisithasallowedtothrive.