US needs to point finger of blame for fentanyl crisis at...

Blame where blame is due

My latest editorial for China Focus explores the background to the ongoing fentanyl and opioid crisis in the US.

Here’s an excerpt:

At the beginning of this century, almost 800 Americans died because of fentanyl. Fast forward to 2021 and more than 107,000 deaths were traced to the drug in that year alone. How is it possible that in roughly 20 years, the number of deaths had spiked more than 13,000 percent?

The answer is a complex one: Politicians are not interested in delivering such answers. Instead, they live in a world in which deflection and blame generate headlines.