How does fentanyl get into the US?

Relative Harm & Policy Focus

• Several commenters contrast ~74k annual fentanyl deaths with far higher heart disease deaths, debating which deserves more policy attention.
• Counterargument: fentanyl kills people much younger, so years of life lost and social impact are disproportionately large.
• Comparisons are made to 9/11 and hypothetical “killdrones” to argue that sudden, violent, early deaths shape political priorities more than sheer numbers.

Tariffs, Politics, and Fentanyl

• Many see fentanyl-linked tariffs on China/Mexico as political theater: a way to look tough, shift blame for high prices, or pursue broader trade/geo‑political goals.
• Others argue globalization has failed many Americans and some level of re‑industrializing via tariffs is warranted, though implementation may be clumsy.
• Several note tariffs act as hidden taxes on consumers and de facto subsidies to domestic industries, raising costs of goods like steel, autos, appliances.

War on Drugs vs. Public Health Approach

• Strong support in the thread for treating addiction as a health issue: focus on treatment, safe supply, and harm reduction rather than criminalization.
• Oregon’s decriminalization is cited: critics say downtowns became unpleasant and recriminalization was needed; defenders say the failure was underfunded, delayed treatment and housing, not decriminalization itself.
• Portugal is referenced as a mixed case: early success with heavy investment, later erosion as funding fell.

Legalization, Safe Supply, and Opioids

• One prominent view: legalizing opium/heroin and providing regulated, consistent doses would undercut demand for ultra‑potent synthetics like fentanyl/nitazenes, which exist mainly because they are cheap to smuggle.
• Others fear broad legalization would create a huge addicted population, pointing to historical examples abroad and to OxyContin as a “de facto legalization” that massively expanded opioid use.
• Debate continues over whether alcohol is more or less addictive than opioids and how stigma, availability, and social context shape addiction rates.

Supply Chains, Borders, and Corruption

• Fentanyl precursors are listed (e.g., NPP, 4‑ANPP, propionyl chloride), with note that many have legitimate industrial uses, complicating control.
• Discussion emphasizes that most trafficking at the southern border involves U.S. citizens and legal ports of entry, not asylum seekers or “gaps in the wall.”
• Data about U.S.–Canada flows are debated; some argue northern volumes are tiny relative to Mexico, others highlight per‑capita exports and note U.S. also exports fentanyl north.
• Several argue border length is less crucial than political will and investment, citing highly controlled borders like the Korean DMZ as a counterexample.

Deeper Causes of Demand

• Multiple commenters insist the core question is why so many Americans want hard drugs: poverty, hopelessness, mental illness, loneliness, and frayed communities are frequently cited.
• There’s skepticism that supply‑side crackdowns alone can work; without addressing economic and social despair, users will switch drugs or suppliers.