The Biden Administration Forms a Global Coalition to Combat Fentanyl

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on dozens of countries to collaborate in the fight against drugs, but China, which Washington blames for the addiction epidemic, has refused to cooperate. Mr. Blinken, launching a new U.S.-led coalition on the addiction crisis, addressed ministers from over 80 countries, stating that if action is not taken with 'great urgency,' more cities around the world will face 'catastrophic costs.' In the U.S., nearly 110,000 people died from drug overdoses last year, primarily due to the use of the painkiller fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Addiction in the U.S. surged in the 1990s as profit-driven pharmaceutical companies flooded the market with painkillers, which had a devastating impact, particularly on veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. According to U.S. State Department statistics, fentanyl is currently the leading cause of death for Americans under 50. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the 12-month period ending January 2022, 107,375 people in the U.S. died from drug overdoses, with 67% of those involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl. As this crisis escalated, the U.S. pressured China, the primary source of fentanyl, to ban exports of the drug, which it did in 2019. China remains a major producer of the precursor chemicals needed to manufacture fentanyl, which are sent to Mexico and Central America, where cartels convert them into fentanyl and smuggle them into the U.S. China rejected the U.S. invitation to join the new coalition, stating that it believes in international cooperation against drugs but argues that U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies over fentanyl do not send the right message. Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry in Beijing, stated that China firmly opposes attacking other countries or imposing unilateral sanctions in the name of combating drugs. Todd Robinson, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, said that the U.S. welcomes China's participation in upcoming meetings and hopes other countries will convince Beijing. He emphasized that the coalition's goal is to engage other countries in efforts to break the supply chain, and part of their responsibility will be to interact with China. Mr. Blinken acknowledged that China's actions alone will not end this crisis, stating that traffickers can easily source the precursor chemicals from elsewhere. Park Jin, South Korea's Foreign Minister, noted that COVID-19 highlighted the need for global coordination on emerging pandemics, including drug use. Mr. Blinken mentioned that the new coalition will also examine best practices for addiction treatment. Coalition members are expected to meet in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. This group will also focus on other drugs, including Captagon, whose use has increased in Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia. Research by Agence France-Presse in November revealed that Syria has developed a $10 billion Captagon industry. A significant portion of the 'Captagon' drug is produced in Syria, but Lebanon is also one of the other producers of this drug. The U.S., the U.K., and the European Union accuse Bashar al-Assad, his family, and allies, including Hezbollah, of facilitating and profiting from this trade. Syria and Hezbollah have denied these allegations. Bashar al-Assad uses 'Captagon' to gain leverage over Arab countries. Blinken entered Beijing amid tensions over Taiwan and Chinese reconnaissance balloons. Jordan shot down a drone carrying drugs linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The U.S. sanctioned 17 individuals and entities in China and Mexico for producing and trafficking drugs.