The new administration is getting serious with countries like Mexico regarding the production and shipping of fentanyl into the United States. It is a deadly drug when not administered legally. An estimated 75,000 Americans died from the drug in 2022 and 2023. Most of them had no clue they were being exposed to the drug. I had a discussion with a drug expert regarding this subject that is quite interesting.
The author expressed that he is against tariffs being imposed on Mexico. He thinks it will do nothing to solve the fentanyl crisis. Since he is against tariffs to strongarm Mexico for clamping down on production and shipments to America, I asked him how he would stop it.
His answer was, “You can’t. PROHIBITION NEVER WORKS. Did alcohol prohibition stop the trafficking of booze across the Canadian border? Besides, the traffickers are already expanding into Costa Rica. They’ve partnered with Balkan cartels to expand into Ecuador and South America. Is the U.S. going to invade every country south of the border?”
“Waging a war on drugs is like playing Whacka-mole. The solution is to end prohibition. Legalize these drugs and regulate them like alcohol. Most people don’t want fentanyl. They think they’re buying oxycodone or heroin, but the black market is untrustworthy. When I buy my drug of choice – bourbon – at the local liquor store, I never have to worry about it being laced with fentanyl or any other drug.”
Though there are potentially significant harmful effects from alcohol consumption, no sane person believes there is any comparison between alcohol and fentanyl. There are many people whose alcohol consumption is clearly too much, but they wake up in the morning.
His argument is similar to the one that was used for the legalization of marijuana. I was a long-time advocate for legalization, but there are negative aspects to legalization. Even though legal marijuana is readily available in California, there is still more illegal marijuana sold in the state than the legalized form. The government has decided to take too big a piece of the action making bootleg marijuana more desirable (and affordable). The other aspect is modern marijuana is producing some serious negative effects on users that advocates did not anticipate before legalization.
My next question: “You want to legalize fentanyl? Do you realize that is insane?”
He replied, “Fentanyl is already legal. We have been using it since the 1970s. Have you ever had anesthesia for a procedure? If so, you will likely receive fentanyl. Haven’t you heard of Duragesic skin patches? Those are fentanyl patches. You may not know this, but methamphetamine is also legal. Its brand name is Desoxyn — it’s used to treat ADHD. Both drugs are easy to make in underground labs and sell on the black market. Ending prohibition will damage the black market.”
My reply,” Of course, I know these are legal, but they are tightly controlled by hospitals and doctors. Anyone who knows of Walter White knows of the bootleg market for meth. That is not the issue. The issue is the mass manufacturing of these very harmful drugs by our neighboring country for their own benefit.”
His reply to me was, “So you favor doing the same thing over and over but expect a different result? Get real: prohibition didn’t work for alcohol, it’s not working for vapes, and it certainly didn’t stop marijuana. Face reality. If it’s legal and regulated it will be safer and there will be less crime — that’s what happened with alcohol.”
I shot back, “I agree with you regarding those three substances. They don’t have a perception as inherently dangerous. They have dangers but are not perceived as inherently dangerous. Fentanyl and heroin do and are. And Americans have not lost their minds.”
His response went like this, “Are you saying I don’t trust the government to handle something legal legally? How much bootleg alcohol has come across the Canadian border since we ended alcohol prohibition? How many gangs have been fighting over alcohol bootlegging territory since we ended alcohol prohibition? Do you think alcohol prohibition worked better than the current laws/regulations regarding alcohol?
“And heroin and fentanyl are much less dangerous than alcohol. Heroin is diacetylmorphine, legal and prescribed in most developed countries, including Canada, the UK, Switzerland, and the EU. It’s twice the potency of morphine (slightly more potent than oxycodone) and half the potency of (legal) Dilaudid. They are only dangerous if they are taken in too large a dose — then you stop breathing. Otherwise, the only side effect is constipation.
“Alcohol causes cirrhosis, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatitis, dementia, cardiomyopathy, and bone marrow suppression. And if you take it in too great a dose you can also stop breathing. The only reason fentanyl and heroin are deadly is because people get them on the black market and cannot be sure of the dose or purity.
“You should know this. I shouldn’t have to tell you this.”
I said, “Sell that to America, good luck.”
I look forward to your thoughts on legalizing heroin and fentanyl, and how well the government will manage that.
