Nearly 75,000 Americans died from synthetic drug overdoses in 2023, most from fentanyl, according to government figures. Overdoses from fentanyl, which is about 50 times more potent than heroin, are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45.

This fantasy that you could stop fentanyl by attacking the precursors is fraught with danger," an expert tells Filter.

China's state media shrugged off U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to slap additional tariffs on Chinese goods in editorials late on Tuesday, accusing the former president of blaming China for the country's failure to address the fentanyl crisis.

China's state media warned U.S. President-elect Donald Trump his pledge to slap additional tariffs on Chinese goods over fentanyl flows could drag the world's top two economies into a mutually destructive tariff war.

Beijing’s foreign ministry says fentanyl is US’ own problem and that China provided support ‘out of a humanitarian spirit’.

Trump plans new tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada to combat drug trafficking and illegal immigration, effective January 20.