The lesson of using drugs for geopolitical purposes

Western powers tried, and almost succeeded, in destroying China by forcing it to import opium in the 19th century. After the deaths of more than 400,000 Americans due to synthetic drug use, primarily fentanyl, Washington today seeks to blame the People's Republic of China for the true epidemic of fentanyl use, even though it allegedly lacks evidence, according to its own officials.

When the Western powers, embodied at the time by Great Britain, realized at the end of the 18th century that too much gold and silver were leaving for China and that the trade deficit with that country had become unbearable for their elites, they decided to “balance” the trade with Beijing by forcing China to import opium.

LET’S ASK – WHERE IS YOUR CONSCIENCE?

At the time, as today, China produced about a third of all goods in the world.

“We find that your country is sixty or seventy thousand miles away from China. However, there are barbarian ships that try to come here for trade to make a great profit. The wealth of China is used for the profit of the barbarians. This means that the great profit the barbarians make is taken entirely from the legitimate Chinese part. By what right do they then use a poisonous drug to harm the Chinese people? Even if the barbarians did not necessarily intend to harm us, in their greedy pursuit of profit, they recklessly harm others. Let us ask, where is your conscience?” wrote senior Chinese official Lin Zexu to young Queen Victoria, who, along with his people, uncompromisingly destroyed seized British opium goods in 1839 in what is now Guangdong.

The aftermath of two Opium Wars, several invasions of China, and the forced payment of senseless war reparations to the aggressors resulted in the general decline of the Chinese state. By the end of the 19th century, the import of opium made up a third of China’s total imports. It can be concluded without much hesitation that the crystallization of the People’s Republic of China on the historical stage in the mid-20th century was the result of such military and political pressures on the Chinese people, as well as the incapacity or inability of the Qing dynasty to protect its national interests against aggressive Westerners.

THE BOOMERANG OF HISTORY

The return of Donald Trump to the White House has, among other things, revived the issue of the so-called fentanyl crisis in the US, for which the old-new US president did not miss the opportunity to blame China. It is about the entire opioid epidemic, specifically fentanyl, which has caused more than 400,000 American deaths so far.

Data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the US show that the number of deaths from synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, increased from a few thousand to more than 80,000 annually between 2014 and 2022. The most famous victims of this opioid are singer Roger Nelson, better known as Prince, and rappers Lil Peep and Mac Miller, among others.

The boomerang of history has returned from the Far East to the Collective West: China now produces about a third of global production, but the global drug trade is no longer played out in its backyard, but in the Western hemisphere.

KILL THE MESSENGER

Having learned from the cataclysmic experience of the 19th century, Chinese authorities today simply do not tolerate the use or trade of drugs at home. Meanwhile, the US and other Western countries, as well as countries in their orbit, have become the main markets for Mexican, Colombian, and other drug cartels.

The “weapon” used against China in the past is now destroying Western and allied societies in the 20th and 21st centuries, but with one important difference. The connections between the US government and its security and intelligence agencies with drug cartels are well-documented and well-known. This is vividly illustrated by the tragedy of journalist Gary Webb, after he uncovered the CIA’s links to drug cartels and exposed the money flow from drug sales that the US government had once illegally sent to contras in Nicaragua as accomplices in the drug trade in their own country.

“CHINA IS TO BLAME FOR EVERYTHING”

Fentanyl, as can be read in the literature, is not a classic narcotic. It is an opioid, a hundred times more potent than morphine. Its targeted and controlled use in medicine is invaluable, but on the street, this opioid becomes one of the riders of the apocalypse.

Mexican drug cartels, to which Trump has declared war, quickly realized this, but even his crackdown could not pass without involving the People’s Republic of China.

According to world news agencies and media reports, Trump’s advisors have been advocating an aggressive approach towards Beijing regarding fentanyl for some time. Recently, Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on goods from China and 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada in one of his typical fiery posts on the social network “Truth Social.”

Trump claims that these countries have not taken strong enough action to stop the entry of illegal drugs, especially fentanyl, into the US. His advisors are also calling for sanctions against Chinese financial institutions allegedly linked to the trade of chemicals necessary for the production of fentanyl. According to Reuters, Trump will ultimately make the final decision on this matter.

CHINESE FENTANYL ATTACK?

China, according to American accusations, is one of the sources of chemical (precursor) substances that Mexican cartels use to produce fentanyl, and allegedly Chinese money laundering channels have become “key players” in international drug trafficking.

Trump’s advisors were joined by Steve Yates, a China expert and former national security official in George Bush’s administration, whose daughter is one of the more than 400,000 fentanyl victims in the US.

Parts of Trump’s plan, seen by Reuters, foresee the filing of charges against major Chinese and Mexican financial institutions allegedly involved in money laundering for cartels. Then, mass sanctions would target Chinese companies and individuals supposedly involved in fentanyl trafficking, increased bounties for the most wanted fentanyl traffickers, cyber warfare against Mexican cartels, and the concentration of US intelligence agencies on fentanyl at the same level as against terrorist organizations.

In short, according to Trump and his team, China is destabilizing the US through fentanyl. Reuters reported that Trump’s promised 10% tariffs on goods from China due to drugs could just be the opening salvo. Howard Latnik, Trump’s chosen candidate for Secretary of Commerce and overseer of the US Trade Negotiation Office, said, according to the same source, that “China attacked America with fentanyl” and suggested that Trump could impose tariffs as high as 200% on Chinese goods.

But…

AN ARGUMENT THAT NULLIFIES TRUMP’S MEASURES

Global media agree that Beijing indeed provides tax incentives for the production of chemicals that are then sold abroad. However, as Reuters itself points out, which conducted an investigation on this topic, there is no evidence that China subsidizes the mass export of illegal fentanyl precursors, as claimed in a Congressional report. This is a statement by a senior US official, which Reuters conveyed.

“We simply could not confirm these claims,” said the official. “And in fact, contrary to that, we carefully examined them and found them to be incorrect.”

An unnamed senior US official said that Chinese partners have cooperated in good faith in discussions with them about combating drug trafficking, which in the Chinese case completely undermines or even negates Trump’s announcement of additional tariffs under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking.

SANCTIONS, SLANDER, AND DEFAMATION

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, as Reuters reports, outlined numerous steps China has taken to prevent the illegal production, trade, and abuse of fentanyl since negotiations with the Biden administration were renewed.

“Sanctions, slanders, and smear campaigns against China will only weaken the foundation of cooperation between China and the US in the fight against drugs,” the embassy said in a statement. “China is firmly against any arbitrary use of unilateral sanctions by the US and will resolutely protect its legitimate rights and interests.”

In an analysis of this issue published by the Xinhua News Agency, it was noted that Washington should face its own inability to resolve a problem that, as noted, largely arose due to its own mistakes. This problem is a result of the excessive issuance of legal painkillers, insufficient and fragmented drug control plans, and corrupt exchanges of interests between pharmaceutical companies and politicians. It was noted that the US is the only country in the world facing a serious opioid epidemic.

WAVES OF OPIOID ABUSE IN THE USA

“Statistics from the Council on Foreign Relations in April show that opioids, primarily fentanyl, are the leading cause of overdoses in the US, which has increased approximately fourfold in the last ten years for which data is fully available. In 2021, the number of deaths jumped to 80,411, more than ten times the number of US soldiers who died in wars after September 11 in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Xinhua reported, recalling that the US has experienced three waves of opioid abuse, with fentanyl being the “main actor” of the third wave.

The first wave began around 1991 when some pharmaceutical companies heavily invested in financing experts and organizations that promoted the safety of opioids, lobbying doctors to prescribe them indiscriminately and pharmacies to aggressively sell them.

ADDICTED TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

On the one hand, this practice led to the formation of a ‘pain relief culture’ in American society, where people became accustomed to using painkillers as a symptomatic, rather than a curative, way of dealing with diseases. On the other hand, it led to a sharp rise in opioid prescriptions, and the number of deaths caused by opioids sharply increased. The most typical example is ‘OxyContin,’ a drug developed by the American pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma. From 1999 to 2017, 200,000 Americans died from overdoses related to ‘OxyContin’ and other prescription drugs. In the end, Purdue Pharma was sued.

The second wave began around 2010. As it became harder to consistently obtain opioid pills, either by prescription or on the street, drug users, particularly young and new users, switched to heroin. The widespread use of this insidious drug was supported by its potency, availability, and affordability. From 2002 to 2013, heroin overdose deaths in the U.S. increased by 286 percent. A 2013 study showed that about 80 percent of heroin users reported previously being addicted to prescription drugs.

DRUGS KILL

After fentanyl entered the market, its widespread availability meant that many naive users risked being killed by the drug. The third wave was largely driven by synthetic opioids, primarily illegally produced fentanyl. Fentanyl, up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, has become the new ‘cash cow’ of the illegal drug industry.

Drug dealers mix cheaper fentanyl with heroin or counterfeit pills to increase profits and reduce transportation risks, resulting in many individuals developing fentanyl use disorders without even being aware of it. The consequence? An alarming surge in fentanyl-related deaths.

Each wave of the overdose epidemic has been driven by cheaper and more potent substances. The research community warns that the fourth wave is characterized by fentanyl overdoses combined with mental health issues.

Even more alarming, as fentanyl use skyrockets, the profile of opioid victims is changing. Across the United States, the drug kills disproportionately. Black individuals are affected more than white individuals, and people under 45 years of age are the hardest hit, according to Bloomberg, as reported by the Xinhua agency.

RECURRING TRAGEDIES

In an agency analysis, Xinhua further notes that the fentanyl use epidemic is now ravaging the U.S. economy and workforce, but Washington, although fully aware of it, is helpless in solving the problem or even disinterested.
“Without adequate investment in patient support, the U.S. government has left hundreds of thousands of citizens at the mercy of new and stronger drugs, condemning them to suffer repeated tragedies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 107,375 people died from drug overdoses and poisonings in the 12-month period ending in January 2022, with an incredible 67 percent of those deaths related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl,” Xinhua reported.

“THE U.S. RELIES ON PALLIATIVE MEASURES”

Some commentators have mentioned that this is the “price of liberalism,” meaning that regulations and rules are needed regarding the use of drugs and medications, and such regulation should be enforced. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador questioned the U.S. strategy in fighting the fentanyl crisis in April last year, stating that the U.S. relies on palliative measures instead of addressing the root cause of the problem.
“Behind the unsuccessful response of previous U.S. administrations and the current Joe Biden administration lies a sophisticated institutional structure that has long hindered efforts to address the root causes of social problems. First, American politicians cave to money. Large pharmaceutical donations push them to turn a blind eye when formulating drug control policies related to narcotics. Ironically, the U.S., a major producer of chemical raw materials, still has not permanently added fentanyl-related substances to the list of controlled substances.

BILLIONS FOR LOBBYING

In contrast, China took steps in May 2019 to include an entire category of fentanyl-related substances on the controlled substances list, a step contributing to preventing illegal production, trafficking, and abuse of this substance.
As reported by the British newspaper The Guardian in 2017, U.S. pharmaceutical companies spent far more than any other industry to influence politicians. ‘Drug manufacturers spent nearly $2.5 billion on lobbying and financing members of Congress over the last decade.’

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES

In addition, 9 out of 10 members of the House of Representatives and all but three of the 100 Senators received campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies seeking to influence legislation across the board, from drug prices to how new drugs are approved.
Moreover, medical representatives, who play a very important role in the U.S. healthcare system, lobby doctors to prescribe drugs through lectures and funding, leading to higher rates of addiction.
Another problem is that political polarization impedes drug control,” said Xinhua in its extensive analysis of the fentanyl crisis in the U.S.

“American politicians know well that the fentanyl crisis is caused by various factors, including domestic politics, the economy, and social divisions. It didn’t develop overnight, nor can it be solved in a short period“.

CRISIS OF MASS DEATHS

However, Washington finds it much easier to blame China for its own insufficient control over fentanyl, even though the problem is fundamentally driven by demand and is a product of failed American institutions,” Xinhua stated. The crisis of mass deaths in the U.S. due to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids is impossible to trivialize, for example, with the ailing automotive industry, the dramatic rise in homelessness, or the disproportionate distribution of wealth. But it is easy to notice that the U.S., led by either Biden or Trump, prefers to look for “solutions” in other countries or related matters, rather than in the structure of its ailing system.