How Long is Fentanyl in Your System? – While the effects of fentanyl may only be felt for a few hours, traces of the drug remain in the system for much longer and can show up on a drug test. Additionally, dose, duration of use, frequency of use, weight, urine concentration, and impaired kidney or liver functioning can all affect detection time.5 There are a number of drug tests that are used to detect fentanyl, including urine, hair, and blood tests.

A person can test positive for fentanyl on a urine test for 24­–72 hours after last use.6 However, norfentanyl, a metabolite created in the process of breaking down the drug in the body, can be detected for up to 96 hours.6 Hair tests can detect for fentanyl for up to 3 months after last use.7 Blood tests are able to detect fentanyl use from 5 hours to 48 hours after last use.8 Saliva tests are used to test for many drugs.

In the case of fentanyl, however, saliva tests cannot consistently detect it or its metabolites.6

How much time do you get from fentanyl?

What’s the Punishment for Possessing Fentanyl in Texas? – The state of Texas determines the sentence for drug crimes based on the circumstances of the crime, the penalty group it’s under as well as the weight of drugs found. Fentanyl is classified as a penalty group 1 controlled substance, which is the highest penalty group with the harshest penalties.

What is the test for fentanyl?

What are fentanyl test strips? – Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm. FTS are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables).1 FTS provide people who use drugs and communities with important information about fentanyl in the illicit drug supply so they can take steps to reduce risk of overdose.2 Look for organizations in your city or state that distribute FTS, keep them on you, and use them!

Does fentanyl increase dopamine?

The finding that the fentanyl-induced increase in the level of accumbal dopamine following its accumbal administration was partly inhibited by the μ-opioid receptor antagonist CTOP suggests that at least part of the fentanyl-induced increase in dopamine was due to activation of accumbal μ-opioid receptors.

Where does fentanyl come from?

America Must Stop China’s Lethal Fentanyl Engine Some people might be surprised to find the leading cause of death among Americans ages 18 to 45 is not heart disease, cancer, motor vehicle accidents, or COVID-19—it is fentanyl. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans in this age bracket, and it’s only getting worse.

Fentanyl is highly addictive and creates large profit margins for those involved in the manufacturing and dealing of the synthetic opioid. The world’s largest source of illicit fentanyl and fentanyl analogues is China. A mere 2 milligrams of fentanyl make up a lethal dose for most people—the equivalent to a few grains of salt.

Fentanyl is cheaper to make than other opioids, easier to smuggle over borders because of its power in small quantities, and highly addictive. This creates a sizeable business model for the drug ring and a perfect storm for users who can easily get addicted to this lethal drug.

While we continue to work to address the crisis at our southern border and the drug addiction that is sweeping through our communities, it’s important we cut the lethal fentanyl engine off at its source: China. The precursor chemicals making up the essential ingredients of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances is from China.

After being shipped to Mexico, the chemicals are produced into fentanyl-containing tablets and enters the United States via our southern border. It’s estimated China is responsible for over 90 percent of illicit fentanyl found in the United States. We simply cannot allow the lethal fentanyl engine in China to run while communities across America’s heartland are being torn apart.

Even as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to threaten American democracy and the frontiers of the free world, they refuse to play by their own rules. In 2018, after Washington urged Beijing to stop fueling the opioid epidemic in the United States, China announced all variants of fentanyl would be treated as controlled substances.

However, they failed to enforce this and have subsequently continued to deny illicit fentanyl producers are a major source of illicit opioids in the United States despite data pointing to the contrary. We simply cannot trust them to be a responsible stakeholder and address this crisis in good faith.

1. As a member of the House Select Committee on the CCP, it is our goal to expose the pattern of aggression from the CCP and identify the existential threats they hold against the United States.
2. This is one of those threats.
3. The Select Committee on the CCP will tackle important issues such as the CCP buying up agricultural land in the United States, gathering intelligence from sensitive military bases, disregarding human rights, bullying Taiwan, and stealing our intellectual property—their part in fueling the fentanyl crisis is no different.

I have been a strong leader in fighting the fentanyl epidemic that is plaguing our communities and recognize more must be done to safeguard our communities. We will work to secure our border from the flow of illicit fentanyl and other deadly drugs, support law enforcement so they have the resources they need, and hold the dealers on the streets accountable.

What is the strongest pain killer?

Pain Relievers: MedlinePlus URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/painrelievers.html Also called: Analgesics, Pain killers, Pain medicines Pain relievers are medicines that reduce or relieve headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, or other aches and,

1. There are many different pain medicines, and each one has advantages and risks.
2. Some types of pain respond better to certain medicines than others.
3. Each person may also have a slightly different response to a pain reliever.
4. OTC) medicines are good for many types of pain.
5. There are two main types of OTC pain medicines: acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are examples of OTC NSAIDs. If OTC medicines don’t relieve your pain, your doctor may prescribe something stronger. Many NSAIDs are also available at higher prescription doses. The most powerful pain relievers are,

(Food and Drug Administration) Also in

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Learn how to cite this page : Pain Relievers: MedlinePlus

How fast is the onset of fentanyl?

INTRODUCTION – Pain is an unpleasant feeling and experience which is the result of acute or chronic injury to tissues. If not controlled appropriately, this unpleasant feeling can lead to adverse behavioral responses by the patient that will affect his/her quality of life in long-term (like its effect on sleep, mood, brain and sexual function or cardiovascular health ).

1. Rapid and effective pain relief is considered as a humanistic action and is one of the basic rights of every patient.
2. In the recent years, considerable amount of attention has been paid to narcotics for the purpose of pain alleviation, either acute or chronic.
3. Use of these medications in their recommended dosages is routine in most emergency department (ED)s.

It should be noted that if such analgesics are used in more than their recommended dosages or used illegally, they could lead to opioid dependency. Opioid addicted patients are a special population in the field of pain management. Such patients are resistant to narcotic analgesics at standard dosages and thus they do not show appropriate response.

Intravenous (IV) morphine sulfate has a rapid onset of action near 1–2 minutes and it reaches a peak of action in 5–15 minutes; it has a half-life of 1.5–2 hours with a duration of action near 3–4 hours. The appropriate loading dose for acute sever pain is 0.1 mg/kg and this dose can be repeated as half the initial dose every 5–15 minutes.

Some studies have recommended that in addicts, it should be administered at higher doses; 10–15 mg for initial doses and continuous infusion thereafter. Each morphine ampule contains 10 mg/mL and is diluted by 10 cc of distilled water to reach a dose of 1 mg/mL.

1. For moderate to severe pain in an average adult who weighs 70 kg, 2–10 mg is routinely administered over 4–5 minutes.
2. Its side effects include hypotension, bradycardia, seizures, confusion, itching, rash, and respiratory depression.
3. Contraindications to its administration include allergy to morphine, asthma, upper airway obstruction, signs of overdose such as cold skin, respiratory depression, stupor, coma, and death.

Besides morphine, another appropriate medication for pain relief and also induction of sedation, is fentanyl. Fentanyl has been used in anesthesiology since 1960. Different routes of administration make fentanyl a good choice in emergency situations. Its onset of action is less than 60 seconds with a half-life of 90 minures and duration of action near 30–60 minutes.

1. Its peak effect is 2–5 minutes.
2. For deep sedation, fentanyl is administered at doses of 1–2 mcg/kg.
3. For moderate sedation, it is used with midazolam and its dose is titrated.
4. Fentanyl usually exerts its analgesic effect at 1–1.5 mcg/kg.
5. However, this dosage can be adjusted by the physician considering sedation and analgesia.

Rarely, glottis spasm and chest tightness occur with dosages used in sedation. Most of the side effects of fentanyl can be reversed by naloxone. Trans-mucosal fentanyl with a-10 to 30-minute onset of action, in the form of candy lollipop, has been used in children anesthesia (with maximum dose of 10–15 mcg/kg).

1. However, this form has not been used extensively in sedation due to the high risk of nausea (20%–40%).
2. IV fentanyl has an appropriate effectiveness in acute pain relief and suitable doses have comparable effects to morphine with shorter onset of action.
3. Acceptable pain relief of fentanyl has been reported in many studies.

The objective of this study aims to compare the analgesic effect of IV fentanyl versus morphine in patients with severe pain induced by acute traumatic limb injury (ATLI) who were opioid addicted.

Is fentanyl test illegal?

Top health officials call for more research to support fentanyl test strips T he government’s top addiction scientists and key public health officials are calling for more research into, Amid a devastating overdose epidemic, the U.S. must ensure that test strips are legal and widely available, the officials wrote in a New England Journal of Medicine published Saturday.

1. Additionally, they argued, the U.S.
2. Should work to develop new products and technologies that facilitate drug-checking.
3. The article’s authors included Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse; Robert Califf, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration; and Lawrence Tabak, the acting director of the National Institutes of Health.

Drug-checking, an increasingly common harm-reduction tactic, involves testing a supply of illicit drugs to determine its contents. In recent years, as fentanyl has come to contaminate much of the illicit drug supply in the U.S., the strategy has become a critical component of overdose-prevention efforts.

1. While most states once classified drug testing strips as illegal paraphernalia, fentanyl test strips are now legal in a large majority of states.
2. More recently, BTNX, a Canadian company that sells fentanyl test strips, also introduced strips used to, a veterinary tranquilizer that is in the U.S.
3. Opioid supply.

While fentanyl test strips are highly effective and seen as a key component of U.S. harm-reduction efforts, the authors wrote, there has been little research on how to maximize their potential uses. They also called for using test strips not just for prevention, but for clinical purposes, too.

• Currently, test strips are mainly used to test drug samples to determine whether they contain fentanyl, allowing drug users to make informed decisions about whether, and how much, to consume.
• The researchers, however, also called for developing rapid fentanyl testing products that could be used on urine and hair, arguing that “the ability to use fentanyl test strips on human specimens in clinical settings would be valuable for supporting on-site clinical decision making.” Overall acceptance of drug-checking is on the rise.

Beyond fentanyl test strips, a number of cities and local health departments have begun to employ more advanced technologies, like spectrometers, not just to detect whether fentanyl is present but also to measure exactly how much. Separately, the Biden administration issued guidance in 2021 clarifying that grants issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be used to purchase test strips, among other harm-reduction tools.

1. With new reports about additional harmful contaminants, such as xylazine, in illicit drugs, it has become clear that drug-checking practices require careful consideration,” the authors wrote.
2. It is critical to encourage implementation of such promising practices while supporting research on implementation and expansion of additional drug-checking approaches.” STAT’s coverage of chronic health issues is supported by a grant from,

Our are not involved in any decisions about our journalism. : Top health officials call for more research to support fentanyl test strips

What is end overdose?

About Us – End Overdose Founded by our CEO Theo Krzywicki, Leah Schexnayder, and Katie Krzywicki in 2018, End Overdose is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Los Angeles, California working to end drug-related overdose deaths through education, medical intervention, and public awareness.

According to data from the CDC, fentanyl-related overdoses are the number one cause of death for people ages 18-45. Experimental drug use and addiction puts young people as one of the most at-risk populations for overdoses. Fentanyl is lethal in small amounts (2mg) and many times people are unaware their drugs contain fentanyl. 40% of overdose deaths could have been prevented if someone present knew how and when to intervene. Oftentimes, there is a lack of education on and accessibility to these overdose prevention and response resources.

Educate and train individuals on how and when to intervene during a suspected overdose.

Interventions include:

calling 911, the use of fentanyl testing strips, the ability to recognize the symptoms of an overdose, the administration of Narcan to reverse an opioid overdose.

Our online training is 100% free and encouraged for everyone to take.

Make resources that prevent overdose-related deaths accessible to everyone across the country.

Equip individuals with preventative ( fentanyl test strips ) and responsive ( Narcan/naloxone ) overdose tools.

Directly target outreach to most at-risk populations via in-person education and resource distribution, De-stigmatize the conversation surrounding mental health, addiction, and overdoses.

: About Us – End Overdose

Does fentanyl make your heart speed up?

Fentanyl causes bradycardia (slow heart rate). In official prescribing documents for the prescription medication Duragesic, which contains fentanyl, doctors are advised that the drug can cause a slow heart rate, Healthcare professionals are encouraged to monitor their patients closely for this known problem.

What receptor does fentanyl affect?

3. Fentanyl pharmacology – Like most clinically used opioids, fentanyl produces its pharmacological effects via activation of the mu opioid receptor (MOR) with low affinity for delta and kappa opioid receptors. Fentanyl is a synthetic, lipophilic phenylpiperidine opioid agonist, unlike morphine, which is an alkaloid extracted from the opium poppy. Fentanyl is a highly efficacious agonist at the MOR with a 1.35 nM binding affinity (Ki) at recombinant human MORs ( Volpe et al., 2011 ), an affinity similar to that reported using guinea pig membranes (1.2 nM Ki; Maguire et al., 1992 ). Albeit, a wide range of fentanyl binding affinities for the MOR have been reported (Ki = 0.007 ( Chen et al., 1993 ) to > 200 nM ( Traynor and Nahorski, 1995 )), which most likely reflects differences in the radioligand, species, assay, or tissue used. This affinity is very similar to morphine binding at the MOR (Ki = 1.17 nM). Additionally, the elimination/clearance half-life is similar between fentanyl and morphine with t 1/2 of 2–4 h for fentanyl and 2 h for morphine. This may be surprising, considering that fentanyl has a faster onset, much shorter duration of analgesic action, and higher analgesic potency compared to morphine. Human and preclinical studies show that fentanyl is 50 times (intramuscular), 150 times (subcutaneous), ~400 times (intravenous) or 10 times (epidural) more potent than morphine ( Finch and DeKornfeld, 1967 ; Terenius, 1974 ; van den Hoogen and Colpaert, 1987 ), but most physicians accept and conversion charts report that fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine. Additionally, fentanyl rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier, resulting in greater analgesic potency, which is reflected in a half-life of ~5 min for equilibrium between plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Thus, the greater analgesic potency and faster onset of fentanyl compared to morphine is not explained by binding affinity or half-life. Fentanyl levels rapidly decline due to redistribution to other tissues and fentanyl has rapid sequestration into body fat, contributing to its short duration of action. The difference in potency and onset and duration of action is, in part, attributed to the differential lipophilicity of these drugs. Of the clinically available MOR agonists, fentanyl and sufentanil are the most lipid soluble, whereas morphine is more hydrophilic. Using a classical octanol-water partition coefficient to measure lipid solubility, the co-efficient for morphine is 6 but > 700 for fentanyl ( Lötsch et al., 2013 ). The difference in lipid solubility impacts not only the route of administration for clinical use but also the pharmacokinetics of metabolism and elimination. Additionally, the pharmacokinetic properties of fentanyl allowed for the development of unique clinical indications of non-injectable formulations ranging from treatment of cancer breakthrough pain using nasal formulations with direct access to the brain to transdermal release for treating chronic pain. Fentanyl is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract but is exclusively metabolized where renal excretion accounts for less than 10% of the dose. Metabolism by piperidine N-dealkylation to norfentanyl, an inactive metabolite, is the predominant degradative pathway in humans, accounting for 99% of fentanyl metabolism ( Labroo et al., 1997 ). Fentanyl metabolism is mediated almost exclusively by cytochrome P450 CYP3A4, together with CYP3A5 and CYP3A7 ( Labroo et al., 1997 ). The involvement of CYP3A-dependent metabolism accounts for many adverse drug interactions, including the HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir ( Olkkola et al., 1999 ). Ritonavir and the calcium channel blocker diltiazem have been reported to increase plasma levels and reduce elimination of fentanyl. Conversely, fentanyl can act as an enzyme inhibitor and reduce the clearance of sedative drugs such as midazolam. The short duration of action is in part due to the activity of P-glycoproteins within the blood-brain barrier that pumps fentanyl out of the central nervous system (CNS) ( Wandel et al., 2002 ; Ziesenitz and van den Anker, 2013 ). The importance of these proteins is evident in that loperamide, an opioid used for treatment of diarrhea has negligible CNS effects, but this peripheral restriction is solely due to its high affinity for the P-glycoprotein substrate ( Schinkel et al., 1996 ); loperamide produces CNS effects in P-glycoprotein knockout rodents ( Tatke et al., 2018 ). Genetic polymorphisms in the ABCB1 gene that encodes for the P-glycoproteins (ABCB1 1236 TT (rs1128503), 2677 TT (rs2032582) and 3435TT (rs1045642)) causes CNS retention of fentanyl ( Lötsch et al., 2013 ), resulting in adverse effects such as respiratory depression and sedation ( Kesimci et al., 2012 ; Takashina et al., 2012 ). The ability of opioids to produce differential effects on nociception, respiratory depression, and constipation likely results from a combination of their chemistry, which will affect their distribution within the central nervous system, metabolism, receptor selectivity and receptor signaling.

Does fentanyl increase GABA?

Abstract – Fentanyl, a μ-opioid receptor agonist, has been studied for its neuro/psycho-pharmacological effects since its first clinical use; however, its effect on the release rate of the Central Nervous System (CNS) neurotransmitters has not been yet elucidated.

In the present study the influence of fentanyl on the release rates of glutamate and GABA is investigated. Specifically, we examined the effects of intravenous (10 μg/kg) as well as intrahypothalamic (0.1nmol/min) fentanyl administration on the release rates of GABA and glutamate in the superfusate of anterior hypothalamus, under tail pinch manipulation.

The release rate of the neurotransmitters was monitored by the push-pull superfusion technique. To investigate the role of fentanyl the opioid antagonist, naloxone 0.1 mg/kg was administered intravenously, or 50nmol/min intrahypothalamicaly. The amino acids were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and fluorimetric detection after NBD-Cl derivatisation.

After intravenous fentanyl administration a significant decrease of glutamate and increase of GABA release rates were observed. However during the pain manipulations, the release rate of glutamate was increased. Intravenous naloxone did not affect significantly the release rates of both amino acids, while intrahypothalamic antagonist administration reversed the alterations in both neurotransmitters release rates.

Our results demonstrate that there is an opioid-glutamatergic transmission pathway, located in hypothalamus and that opioids can activate NMDA receptors, thus reducing the nociceptive threshold and the opioid analgesic effect. Keywords: Fentanyl; GABA; Glutamate; High performance liquid chromatography; Hypothalamus; Naloxone; Push pull superfusion; Tail pinch.

What drugs are opioids?

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin ® ), hydrocodone (Vicodin ® ), codeine, morphine, and many others. Learn about the health effects of prescription opioids and read the DrugFacts on Fentanyl, Heroin, and Prescription Opioids,

What is the most safest painkiller?

Pain medications at a glance –

Vivien Williams: 50 million. That’s how many people in the U.S. suffer from chronic pain. Many turn to opioid painkillers for relief. Mike Hooten, M.D. (Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic): The evidence is not all that clear about the efficacy of those drugs long-term for chronic pain.

Vivien Williams: Mayo Clinic pain management specialist Dr. Mike Hooten says what is clear about these painkillers is the risk associated with taking them. Mike Hooten, M.D.: The problems of addiction, but a related problem of accidental overdose deaths. Vivien Williams: Morphine, oxycodone and hydrocodone are commonly prescribed opioids.

Dr. Hooten says they are very effective when used short-term for pain, for example, after a surgery. For long-term use Mike Hooten, M.D.: There are a small group of studies that may show some benefit in in certain highly select groups of patients. Vivien Williams: But, for many cases of chronic pain, Dr.

Hooten says non-opioid pain relievers combined with other therapies, such as stress management can help people manage pain and maintain a high quality of life. For the Mayo Clinic News Network, I’m Vivien Williams. Vivien Williams: This can be a common scenario: raiding the medicine cabinet for leftover painkillers after a sprained ankle or toothache.

There’s nothing wrong with popping an occasional opioid, right? Mike Hooten, M.D. (Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic): They are dangerous. They could have adverse effects that the individual doesn’t even know about. Vivien Williams: Including addiction or accidental overdose.

• So, when is it appropriate to take opioids? Mike Hooten, M.D.: After an operation, opioids are highly effective.
• Vivien Williams: Dr.
• Mike Hooten is a pain management specialist at Mayo Clinic.
• Mike Hooten, M.D: After trauma, for example, severe trauma, opioids would be appropriate.
• Vivien Williams: Dr.

Hooten says opioids are also beneficial during procedures, such as colonoscopies. Problems happen when people take them without a prescription or for too long. Mike Hooten, M.D.: If they are predisposed to develop addiction, either neurobiologically or from a behavioral perspective, then all of a sudden we are selecting the individuals who may go on to have long-term problems.

1. Benzon HT, et al., eds. Essentials of Pain Medicine.4th ed. Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov.14, 2022.
2. Pangarkar S, et al., eds. Pain Care Essentials and Innovations. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov.14, 2022.
3. Argoff CE, et al. Pain Management Secrets.4th ed. Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov.14, 2022.
4. Benson HT, et al., eds. Practical Management of Pain.6th ed. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov.14, 2022.
5. Opioid therapy and different types of pain. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/patients/therapy-expectations.html. Accessed Nov.14, 2022.
6. Dowell D, et al. CDC clinical practice guideline for prescribing opioids for pain – United States, 2022. MMWR Recommendations and Reports.2022; doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr7103a1.
7. Price MR, et al. Systematic review of guidelines-recommended medications prescribed for treatment of low back pain. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies.2022; doi:10.1186/s12998-022-00435-3.
8. Przybyla GW, et al. Paracetamol – An old drug with new mechanisms of action. Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology & Physiology.2020; doi:10.1111/1440-1681.13392.
9. Celecoxib oral. Facts & Comparisons eAnswers. https://fco.factsandcomparisons.com. Accessed Nov.17, 2022.
10. Understanding drug overdoses and death. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html#:~:text=The%20majority%20of%20overdose%20deaths,during%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic. Accessed Nov.17, 2022.
11. Shah A, et al. Characteristics of initial prescription episodes and likelihood of long-term opioid use – United States, 2006-2015. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.2017; doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6610a1.
12. Tricyclic antidepressants. Facts & Comparisons eAnswers. https://fco.factsandcomparisons.com. Accessed Nov.21, 2022.
13. Gabapentin. IBM Micromedex. https://www.micromedexsolutions.com. Accessed Nov.21, 2022.

,

What is stronger than tramadol?

Can I use tramadol or oxycodone with alcohol? – You should avoid taking tramadol or oxycodone with alcohol. Both tramadol and oxycodone carry an FDA Black Box Warning about taking them with other central nervous system depressants, including alcohol. It increases your risk of a potentially fatal overdose.

When is the peak of fentanyl?

The peak respiratory depressant effect of a single intravenous dose of fentanyl citrate is noted 5 to 15 minutes following injection.

Who makes fentanyl?

China’s Role in Illicit Fentanyl Running Rampant on US Streets – Congressman David Trone January 08, 2023 Credit: Fentanyl overdose has become the leading cause of death for young Americans since 2019.U.S. authorities say that China remains the primary source of the precursor chemicals, which are then processed and manufactured into synthetic opioids by Mexican drug cartels to bring into the United States.

In response to the rising threat of illicit fentanyl, bipartisan lawmakers last year introduced the “End Fentanyl Act,” a bill intended to strengthen border enforcement in combatting the flow of fentanyl into the United States. This bill would require “U.S. Customs and Border Protection to review and update, as necessary, manuals and policies related to inspections at ports of entry to ensure the uniformity of inspection practices to effectively detect illegal activity along the border, such as the smuggling of drugs and humans.” The Eradicating Narcotic Drugs and Formulating Effective New Tools to Address National Yearly Losses of Life (END FENTANYL) Act was introduced by Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) in June 2022 with bipartisan colleagues.

On Dec.14, 2022, it unanimously passed the Senate and headed to the House of Representatives, where Congressmen Michael Guest (R-Miss., 3rd District) and David Trone (D-Md., 6th District) introduced the House companion legislation. “Far too many Americans have lost loved ones to opioid overdoses, and millions more are currently suffering from substance use disorder.

1. Working together, we must do everything we can to stem the flow of illicit fentanyl into our communities,” Trone said on Dec.13, 2022.
2. Trone said “99 percent of the fentanyl is coming from precursor drugs from China, and then it’s manufactured by two cartels, the Jalisco and Sinaloa Cartels, and they’re the ones that are bringing it across the border,” adding that it’s important to stop it from the source.

Epoch Times PhotoA U.S. Customs and Border Protection canine team checks automobiles for contraband in the line to enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Ysidro, Calif., on Oct.2, 2019. (Sandy Huffaker/AFP via Getty Images)Deadly Drug Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, up to 50 times more potent than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine.

• Manufacturers of illegal drugs add fentanyl to heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, and other drugs to make the drugs more powerful and cheaper to produce.
• Just two milligrams of the synthetic opioid—equivalent to 10–15 grains of table salt—is considered a lethal dose.
• Laboratory testing is the only way to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder.

Fentanyl has remained the leading cause of death for Americans aged between 18 and 45 since 2019, surpassing suicide, car accidents, COVID-19, and cancer, according to CDC data compiled by the U.S. advocacy group Families Against Fentanyl in a December 2021 report.

In 2021, the number of drug overdose deaths in the United States surpassed 100,000. Illicit fentanyl accounted for over 64,000 of those deaths, which has doubled since 2019. The majority of fentanyl is mass-produced in Mexico using chemicals from China before being pressed into pills or mixed with other counterfeit pills made to look like Xanax, Adderall, or oxycodone.

The counterfeit drugs are then sold to unaware buyers. Most people using fentanyl assume they are given heroin and mix it with other drugs or overdose. Epoch Times PhotoThe various forms of fentanyl. (University of Houston)Drug Issue Weaponized The Chinese city of Wuhan is known as the fentanyl capital of the world.

• Following the initial outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), disruptions to fentanyl production and supply in Wuhan set off a chain reaction that hit the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Mexico, which caused street drug prices to skyrocket across the United States.
• China has played a key role in flooding America with fentanyl, and the regime is now weaponizing the drug issue against the United States, according to Anders Corr, publisher of the Journal of Political Risk.

“China is linking the fentanyl issue and negotiations with other totally different issues like Taiwan issue. So when Pelosi visited Taiwan, one of the ways in which China retaliated against the United States was to cease negotiations over the fentanyl issue,” Corr told the “China in Focus” program on NTD, a sister media outlet of The Epoch Times.

Beijing announced the suspension of bilateral talks and collaborations with the United States related to illegal immigrant repatriation, criminal justice assistance, climate talks, transnational crime, and “anti-drug programs.”However, according to Ben Westhoff, an award-winning investigative journalist who went undercover in several Chinese fentanyl operations, the CCP has never curbed the production and export of illegal chemicals in China.On the contrary, Westhoff found that some Chinese fentanyl producers were subsidized by the CCP.

Epoch Times PhotoU.S. Customs and Border Protection seized approximately 47,000 rainbow-colored fentanyl pills, 186,000 blue fentanyl pills, and 6.5 pounds of meth hidden in a floor compartment of a vehicle at the Nogales port of entry on the southern border with Mexico on Sept.3, 2022.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection) In an interview with NPR in April 2019, Westhoff said, “the big problem in China is that a lot of these drugs, which are banned in the U.S., are still legal in China, companies can make them with the full support of the government and have them basically smuggled into the U.S.” He said that China has sought to encourage exports of these harmful and illegal drugs as they are seen as a vital part of its economy.

And to grow these exports, it started offering subsidies and tax breaks for chemical companies that produce and export those drugs. “Not only is China not doing enough to contain this industry. They are actually encouraging this industry through a series of tax breaks, subsidies, and other grants,” Westhoff said.

• When asked about China’s commitment to the U.S.
• In banning the substances in December 2018, Westhoff said China has no real intention to follow through.
• I think we can take China at its word that it has gone about banning all of the fentanyl analogues, the fentanyl-like drugs.
• Now, doing that on paper is one thing, but the enforcement is the part where China has really lagged,” he said.

“They don’t have enough people on the ground to enforce the laws they have on the book. And often, there are competing layers of government that are at odds with each other. So you might have a provincial official who wants to let these companies keep doing what they’re doing because it brings in more revenue for the area.” He added that manufacturers only need to slightly tweak the chemical formula of fentanyl to make it legal.

When Weissoff visited a Chinese fentanyl-producing lab, he found a large amount of the chemicals sitting around in tall piles on the laboratory floor, reminding him of “the scene in Scarface, where Al Pacino is sitting at the table full of massive piles of cocaine.” Photo of seized fentanyl DEAA photo of the around 1 million seized fake fentanyl pills in Inglewood, Calif., in July 2022.

(Drug Enforcement Administration)Combatting the Drug Crisis The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in its January 2020 report (pdf), laid out clearly that China was the “primary source” of fentanyl trafficked into the United States. “China remains the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail and express consignment operations environment, as well as the main source for all fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States,” the DEA report says.

In October 2018, President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan package of bills on opioid addiction that he called “the single largest bill to combat the drug crisis in the history of our country.” The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act allocates resources for treatment and prevention, including increased support for mothers and inmates.

Notably, the bill puts $6 billion toward opioid addiction prevention, treatment, and other ancillary problems related to abuse. Included in the bill is the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which aims at curbing the flow of opioids sent through the mail system, and increases the coordination between the U.S.

Postal Service and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The STOP Act would require that all mail from foreign countries coming through the U.S. Postal Service have package-level detail. It would also require accurate advanced electronic data (AED) for international mail shipments to be submitted to U.S.

Customs and Border Protection before shipping. Under pressure from the Trump administration, China was forced to increase the compliance rate for submitting international package data. According to feedback from the United States Postal Service (USPS) executives, the volume of inbound shipments from China with AED increased to 85 percent in May 2019 from 32 percent in October 2017.

The postal service said the STOP Act significantly improved its ability to seize fentanyl and synthetic opioids from the U.S. Mail. Plastic bags of FentanylPlastic bags of Fentanyl are displayed on a table at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection area at the International Mail Facility at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Ill., on Nov.29, 2017.

(Joshua Lott/Reuters)Evading US Regulations In May 2019, at the urging of the Trump administration, Beijing placed all forms of fentanyl and its known analogues known at the time on its drug export control list. However, illicit fentanyl from China remains widely available in the United States.

1. According to an August 2021 report (pdf) released by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Chinese fentanyl producers sought new ways to evade regulation.
2. Every time Beijing puts a fentanyl substance on its control list (to meet U.S.
3. Requests), Chinese manufacturers modify that compound to create a new fentanyl-related product.

To evade U.S. regulations, Chinese fentanyl producers shifted their primary market to Mexico. Mexican cartels use precursor compounds imported from China to manufacture large quantities of fentanyl products, which are then smuggled into the United States.

1. Mexican drug trafficking organizations have previously been involved in producing opium poppy, a flowering plant used in the production of heroin.
2. But as Mexican authorities stepped up efforts to eradicate the country’s poppy fields, the drug cartels turned to synthetic fentanyl, which is much cheaper to obtain the ingredients and highly profitable.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the amount of fentanyl seized by the agency skyrocketed from 2020 to 2022. In the year ending September 2022, CBP seized a record 14,700 pounds of fentanyl, compared with 11,200 pounds in 2021 and 4,800 pounds in 2020.

1. The DEA estimates that a kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of powdered fentanyl from China can fetch a few thousand dollars.
2. And if transformed the powders into hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills, it can bring in millions of dollars of profits through street sales.
3. Driven by high profits, drug traffickers use private cars, pedestrians, and commercial vehicles to smuggle fentanyl into the United States through ports of entry.

Mexico coconut fentanylCoconuts filled with fentanyl seized by Mexican authorities in Puerto Libertad, Mexico, on Dec.1, 2022, in a still from video. (Prosecutor General’s Office of Mexico via AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)Laundering Money The August 2021 report (pdf) by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said Beijing’s cooperation with the U.S.

Has lagged in money laundering investigations, criminal prosecution, and legal assistance in ongoing cases. “Chinese regulatory authorities continue to delay requests for access to inspect and investigate potential sites of illegal chemical production where precursors are made. requests are often delayed for days, allowing any illegal operation to vacate or clean up the premises,” the report said.

In addition, China’s financial system has also been used to launder money for Mexican drug cartels. In a single money laundering case in November 2018, several Chinese nationals were arrested by U.S. authorities on charges of laundering between $25 to $65 million for drug cartels.

According to the report, Chinese money launderers leverage encrypted mobile communications apps like WeChat to move vast sums of money from the United States to China and then back to Mexico with “great speed, discretion, and efficiency.” An investigation revealed that once Chinese money launders move illicit drug proceeds into China’s financial system, some of that money is used to purchase consumer goods or more precursor chemicals, recycling the money back into the economy.

And then, the money, consumer goods, or precursors are transferred back out of China to the drug cartel in Mexico. “Since they are difficult to track, convertible virtual currencies or cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Monero have become a popular medium,” the report added.

How long do you go to jail for fentanyl in Ontario?

If convicted of trafficking or possession for the purpose of trafficking, the minimum is one year imprisonment. For importing or exporting, the penalty is one year for an amount of 1 kilogram or less, or 2 years minimum for an amount over 1 kilogram.

How much time can you get for fentanyl in Florida?

Minimum and Maximum Sentencing for Trafficking Fentanyl – Trafficking carries a penalty of several years imprisonment depending on the amount of Fentanyl in your possession:

Less than 4 grams of Fentanyl is punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000, An amount of four or more grams increases the charge from possession to drug trafficking. More than 4 grams but less than 14 grams incurs a minimum of three years in prison and a fine of $50,000, The judge has the option to impose a penalty of up to 30 years in prison. More than 14 grams but less than 28 grams is a minimum of fifteen years in prison and a fine of $100,000, The maximum penalty is 30 years in prison, More than 28 grams results in a minimum of 25 years in prison and a fine of $500,000, The maximum penalty is 30 years in prison,