The United States government has expressed its support of China's decision to categorize all fentanyl-related drugs as controlled substances.
The move comes hot in the heels of previous events that saw President Donald Trump blaming China for the synthetic opioid epidemic taking shape in the U.S.
A majority of opioid-related deaths have been linked to China-sourced drug imports. This aspect has been reflected by U.S.
Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who lauded China's latest stance as a newfound commitment in the global fight against drug trafficking.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has also come out to express their support of China's decision, which would see a possible end to the existing U.S.-China trade war partly caused by ongoing blame games between the two countries.
According to the DEA, this important development will harm China's drug trafficking networks by hampering their ability to alter the existing fentanyl compounds.
Big News?
As it stands, Chinese authorities have been regulating fentanyl itself, including its 25 listed analogues.
The illegal fentanyl derivative has taken a great number of street names, including China Girl and China White.
It happens to be a highly addictive substance that once placed Utah on the map of the world's highest number of drug-related deaths.
Most China-based drug manufacturers managed to circumvent the law by introducing slight adjustments to the chemical structures of drugs.
This method enabled them to exploit legal loopholes to qualify manufactured products for export-before the government may evaluate the safety and medicinal value of the substances.
An official from China's National Narcotics Control Commission said in press conference that the move to classify all fentanyl-related substances as controlled drugs will take effect on May 1.
Nonetheless, a host of policy experts have come out to discredit the perceived potency of the crackdown to solve the U.S. fentanyl crisis.
Bryce Prado, a researcher at the Rand Corporation, stated in a testimony last year that existing regulation will face obstacles in the future as far as chemical modifications are concerned.
This aspect is true to the fact that the Chinese government lacks the capacity to enforce the drug law, including an insufficiency in the number of facilities and drug inspectors in its arsenal.
The will to fulfil its promise is definitely something that China will have to strive to prove its point.
The Intersection Between Chinese and American Factors
Drug-related arguments between China and the U.S. are a thing of the past.
The U.S. government has been known to express concerns about the role of China in fueling the American opioid crisis.
This accusation has since been defended by Chinese officials who have claimed that the scale of fentanyl from China was not significant enough to warrant the allegation.
According to Liu Yuejin, vice commissioner for the China National Narcotics Control Commission, the U.S. should be held culpable for the existing drug crisis in China.
This, he says, stems from the American culture that has been dotted with a long tradition of consuming prescription drugs.
Shortfalls in drug enforcement and civic education are key contributors that continue to plague the fight against drug abuse in the U.S.
Moreover, Liu finds that the cultural basis of drug abuse is built on the tenets of individuality and freedom that is common to Western society.
A critical dedication of the U.S. government would be the only sure way to tackle the existing domestic issues as far as fentanyl abuse is concerned.
Otherwise, while finger-pointing has been characteristic to the U.S.-China fight against drug trafficking, Chinese officials have cooperated with Washington before.
A classic example is the December 2018 meeting between President Trump and his Chinese counterpart, in which President Xi Jinping agreed to legally consider fentanyl to be a controlled substance.
This meant that his government would serve China's maximum penalty to those found guilty for selling the drug to U.S. consumers.
Still, the U.S.-China efforts against drugs have a long way to go. U.S. House Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey expressed his thoughts echoing the importance of dedicated drug enforcement.
According to the Republican, Chinese developments must be followed closely to ensure that any indecisiveness is taken into account and people are held accountable.
President Trump asked Chinese enforcers to consider the death penalty as a powerful step in blocking the influx of dark web-sourced drugs from overseas.
Writer's Opinion: Should China Be Blamed for the U.S. Fentanyl Problem?
As the current drug crisis rages on, various stakeholders are tempted to seek scapegoats that would be held responsible for drug-related deaths.
Social experts have expressed concerns about the manner in which the drug war has been handled so far.
They point towards politicians who have contributed towards the stigmatization of drug users, a factor that has blocked addicts from seeking the much-needed help.
Activists have also come to project their discontent in the manner in which the opioid epidemic is being handled.
This is not without protests targeting Big Pharma players who have been blamed for the current drug crisis.
On the other hand, the so-called "moral police" have always been quick to hold the drug consumers responsible.
At this point, it becomes clear that one way or another, a finger of blame has to be directed towards a group of people or nation.
Take the example of an August 2018 tweet by President Trump in which he referred to "fentanyl pouring in" from China.
It is outrageous that Poisonous Synthetic Heroin Fentanyl comes pouring into the U.S. Postal System from China. We can, and must, END THIS NOW! The Senate should pass the STOP ACT - and firmly STOP this poison from killing our children and destroying our country. No more delay!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018
Another matter of concern is how much people seem misinformed about the current opioid crisis.
Misguided people blame regular opioid prescribing as a main cause of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. Such false alarm has had a negative impact on legitimate patients that need chronic pain management medications.
This reality presents itself clearly in the comments of President Trump's tweet, in which some users noted the consequences inflicted on their ailing loved ones.
At the end of the day, this kind of scapegoating begs the question: Is Blaming China for America's Fentanyl Problem Uncalled For?
Some commentators would disagree, referencing data that implicates China in the supply of strong fentanyl to the U.S. via mail services.
Well, this makes sense, given China's robust and relatively unregulated chemical industry. China happens to be the single largest seller of active drug ingredients on earth.
The scale of substances produced by China-based industries would otherwise hamper efforts to uphold proper oversight on drug flow across international borders.
Nonetheless, the current scapegoating will do more harm than good.
This is because future political debates will remain dotted with analytical obscurity as stakeholders take their eyes off internal factors that drive the dark web ecosystem and its associated illicit drug industry.
