Is supply of fentanyl driving demand in Pennsylvania and U.S.?
Between daily news about former President Donald Trump, the 2024 presidential election, war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, war in Ukraine, and the flood of immigrants at the southwest border, we often don’t hear much about what was once an opioid crisis that now has turned into a synthetic opioid or fentanyl crisis.
One-hundred-twelve thousand people died of overdoses during a 12-month period that ended in August according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – a 3% increase over the same period the year before. Fentanyl was an ingredient in most of those deaths.
Appearing on The Spark Tuesday, Sam Quinones, the best-selling author of four books, including The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth, says the supply of fentanyl is now driving demand. Fentanyl is being provided and smuggled into the United States at just simply staggering supplies nationwide. It’s all across the country. Some people are getting addicted to something else, using drugs… So very quickly a little bit of supply creates, a long-lasting, demand. The supply being so enormous and so relentless that people, once they are on it, develop very, very high tolerances. And so what that means is if they were to stop, they would go into very brutal kind of withdrawal effects. And so people are really, really reluctant to get off of fentanyl once they’re on it, even though they know that they very easily could die. It’s just the effect of the opioid on the brain is such that it just squelching that instinct for survival. And again, it’s simply the supply that is creating it. So if this were a few hundred kilos over an entire year, maybe that would be one thing. But this is the staggering amounts of fentanyl that we’re being inundated with.
Quinones pointed out that most of the fentanyl coming into the U.S. is via vehicles into legal ports of entry.
Quinones said he thinks the U.S. and Mexico need to work together to stop the import of fentanyl but he also believes law enforcement should be a big part of reducing the demand for fentanyl. I believe we need to rethink jail. We need to think of jail as a place of recovery, places where we have recovery pods. And this is being done in certain counties around the country. What that does, though, is that it gives people after their arrest, and yes, you must arrest them, but it gives them a blessed place to get away from that because too many people are refusing treatment even though they are at death’s door because of fentanyl. We need a place where they can go, be awake and develop that blessed respite from the dope and get off the streets. Because otherwise, fentanyl is going to kill them.
The supply of fentanyl and its devastating consequences have become a growing concern in Pennsylvania and across the United States. Overdose deaths involving fentanyl have been on the rise, with 112,000 people dying in a 12-month period, representing a 3% increase compared to the previous year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Renowned author Sam Quinones, speaking on The Spark radio program, shed light on the alarming situation, emphasizing that the supply of fentanyl is now driving demand. Quinones explained that fentanyl is being smuggled into the country at staggering levels, leading to widespread addiction and tragedy. The relentless supply has pushed individuals to develop high tolerances, making it extremely difficult for them to quit, despite the risks.
The majority of fentanyl is being imported through legal ports of entry, primarily by way of vehicles. Quinones called for collaborative efforts between the United States and Mexico to halt this influx of fentanyl.
Additionally, Quinones argued for a reevaluation of the criminal justice system’s approach to tackling fentanyl addiction. Instead of solely relying on incarceration, he proposed the establishment of recovery pods within jails, providing individuals with a safe space to break free from the cycle of addiction. By offering intensive support and treatment, these recovery pods aim to save lives and offer individuals the opportunity to escape the clutches of fentanyl’s deadly grip.
The fentanyl crisis underscores the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address both the supply and demand sides of the issue. Collaboration between law enforcement agencies, enhancing border security, and prioritizing access to effective addiction treatment are crucial steps in mitigating the devastating impact of fentanyl on communities across Pennsylvania and the nation.
As Pennsylvania and the United States continue to grapple with the fentanyl crisis, it becomes increasingly clear that a multifaceted approach is required to curb the supply, provide support for those struggling with addiction, and prevent unnecessary loss of life. Only through concerted efforts and a compassionate response can we hope to combat this pressing public health crisis and restore hope to affected communities.
