The Fentanyl StoryIt

Is much different than Trump wants us to think.

Fentanyl is a deadly drug, but the story is much different than what Trump wants us to think.

INTRODUCTION

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, which has been causing a serious crisis in the United States and other countries. This crisis involves many factors and has a complex history. This article explores some of the information which shows that this story is much different than what Trump wants us to believe.

THE RISE OF OPIODS

It all began with Purdue Pharma. In the mid-1990’s the company received approval to market OxyContin, a powerful opioid, and they marketed it aggressively. The problem began but is not as straight-forward as Trump would have you believe.

With Purdue’s aggressive marketing, doctors began prescribing opioid painkillers to solve “any pain people had.” Some prescriptions were legitimate, but many doctors saw the chance to make a lot of money. This led to widespread opioid use and addiction, and when their prescriptions ended, or when doctors reduced prescriptions, many people turned to illegal sources to get their drugs.

DOCTORS PROFIT

Over the past three years, 115 defendants responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance pills have been charged for illegally distributing opiod pills.

One example: (Ex-doctor) Bowdoin Smith, 67, of Carthage, Tennessee, unlawfully prescribed opioids. In 2012, Smith’s medical license was suspended for prescribing controlled substances that were not necessary for his patients. After the probation was lifted, Smith continued to write unlawful prescriptions

In 2020 Smith was convicted three counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances and faces up to 20 years in jail.

One more of many. (Ex-doctor) Anatoly Braylovsky of Wallingford, Connecticutto was sentenced to 90 months of imprisonment for illegal distribution of opiod prescriptions through his medical practice.

In all, about fifty-percent of all fatal opioid overdoses come from prescriptions initially given by doctors. That puts the problem into perspective. There is no argument that fentanyl is a major problem, but it is 50% of the problem. The other 50% we do not even talk about, nor do we talk about other preventable deaths.

HIGHWAY DEATHS

Have we become desensitized to highway deaths? This is a bigger problem than fentanyl deaths and we do not even talk about it.

Highway deaths account for about 11.5 deaths per 100,000 people. Opiod deaths, which include the approximately 50 percent from doctor’s prescriptions account for 9.9 deaths per 100,000 people.

Putting this all together, the deaths from opiods (fentanyl) coming across the borders is about 21 percent of the problem. Trump is destroying the economy, destroying families and lives but missing 79 percent of the problem.

But, does he care; no, because this is really not about fentanyl deaths, this is about beginning a “hidden” tax to pay the $4.25 trillion in tax breaks to his rich friends.

THE BORDER AND SMUGGLING

A large amount of fentanyl enters the United States through the border with Mexico, that is without question, but the story is not what Trump wants us to believe.

A very small amount of the drugs is coming through illegal points of entry, with more than 80 percent coming through legal entry points. And, it is not who you would think is smuggling the drugs.

Drug trafficking offenders are 82.6 percent men, and 80.1 percent are U.S. citizens. This means that the problem is created by the role played by U.S. citizens. Not what Trump wants us to believe by arguing he needs to put tariffs on Mexico and Canada, destroying the economy and international relationships to fix the problem.

Let’s go back just a few months when Trump tanked the bi-partisan border bill. That bill was directly pointed to solving the problem being created by drugs coming across legal entry points and being smuggled in by 80.1 percent American citizens.

Now, the USA faces a disaster on its hands, all by a problem exacerbated by Trump and for all the wrong reasons.

Think about this. How are Canada and Mexico supposed to stop the 80 percent of the drugs coming across at legal entry points when the USA controls its own poits of entry?

THE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES

This cannot be stated enough. About half (50%) of fatal opioid overdoses come from prescriptions initially given by doctors. That is on the hands of Trump and the USA. No one wants to talk about this.

CONCLUSION

There is no disputing that the fentanyl crisis is a serious and ongoing challenge. But it cannot be solved if the politicians like Trump continue to lie to all of us. A problem cannot be solbved unless you understand the problem, and the problem is:

• Trump is lying to everyone because his issue is not solving the problem. His issue is using the problem to pay for his $4.25 trillion tax break to his rich friends.

• 80% of the drugs are coming across legal entry points that are controlled by the USA, not by Mexico or Canada.

• Trump tanked a bi-partisan bill that would have attacked the problem.

• Trump blames all the foreign criminals when 80% of the problem of smuggling is from American citizens.

• More than 50 percent of all opiod deaths originate from doctor’s prescriptions.

Solving the opiod crisis will first require Trump to tell everyone the truth. Does anyone believe he could do that? But nothing can be legitimately done unless we understand the history, and the players, then maybe there can be a difference.

openyourojos and all those who still believe the Trump Kook-Aid, how do you like your eggs? $15 a dozen?