Nothing has been proven, and won’t be probably for weeks, but there’s enough reason already to worry that two relatively young men who died an hour or so apart in Galveston on Christmas Day had encountered cocaine laced with fentanyl.
There is reason enough already to worry that encounter is what killed them.
"Overdoses and deaths from the synthetic opioid fentanyl have been on the rise across the country for months and the grim trend has reached Galveston County." -Trace Harris GCDN
“Fentanyl was unheard of just a few years ago, but it has quickly increased,” Capt. James Roy of the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office said.
Galveston County Daily News Oct 23, 2022
Fentanyl was present during President Trump's administration but not to this extent.
The important part of the story is for everyone to be aware that fentanyl is here and all need to be on high alert to keep everyone safe.
Carlos, for some reason you see a need to make this political. The story did not say a word about any President, but you thought it would be a good idea to do so. Fentanyl has been a problem for a while and will become a larger problem regardless of who is President. The problem was becoming a larger problem during the last years of Trumps term. Below is a report that shows when fentanyl increased into the problem we have now. If you want to blame Biden, you also need to include Trump. The first-time monthly fentanyl seizures saw a sizable spike over the last four years was in June of 2020 under former President Donald Trump when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 713 pounds of the drug, an almost 200 percent increase from the month before. Only once before then, over fiscal years 2020 and 2019, did the pounds of fentanyl seized in a month crack 400 pounds. However, following the June 2020 seizure, the pounds of fentanyl taken by CBP has surpassed the 700-pound mark each month all but twice. The two greatest monthly seizures of 1,212 pounds and 1,193 pounds both took place in October and December of 2020, just before Trump's turnover to Biden.
The USA has had a long history of drug problems and no President has been able to stop drugs from coming to the USA.
Jim posts, " Carlos, for some reason you see a need to make this political." Read the previous GCDN articles. Before Biden there was a problem but since there is a crisis. One cannot ignore the cause and effect of this.
The first-time monthly fentanyl seizures saw a sizable spike over the last four years was in June of 2020 under former President Donald Trump when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 713 pounds of the drug, an almost 200 percent increase from the month before. Only once before then, over fiscal years 2020 and 2019, did the pounds of fentanyl seized in a month crack 400 pounds. However, following the June 2020 seizure, the pounds of fentanyl taken by CBP has surpassed the 700-pound mark each month all but twice. The two greatest monthly seizures of 1,212 pounds and 1,193 pounds both took place in October and December of 2020, just before Trump's turnover to Biden.
Just as Trump had this problem, all the Presidents going forward will also.
Jim is worried about seizures. It is the fentanyl that hasn't been seized that you need to worry about. Do you really believe SEIZED FENTANYL killed those two in Galveston?
Thanks for the timely warning, Michael. I'm not sure what the Venn diagram of street drug users and GCDN editorial readers looks like, but this is a conversation every parent should be having with their kids. [thumbup]
Most fentanyl is made in China and sold to the cartels operating in northern Mexico. The cartels also control the immigration flow - they often send large numbers of immigrants across in one place to tie up CBP and law enforcement - and then run the drugs through at another place. Some of these cartels are now multibillion dollar conglomerates. The Chinese fentanyl manufacturers are making a pretty penny as well.
GDN recently ran an op-ed from the Austin American-Statesman which chided Gov. Abbott for "finally" agreeing to hand out fentanyl test strips to drug users in Austin.
Like Michael Smith, the AAS writer assumes that people who are inclined to use illegal drugs will nevertheless have the good judgment to watch out for and/or test for fentanyl. That's just not likely.
At the same time, they ignore our border crisis - which the Biden Administration happily created, beginning with the President's "day 1" executive orders. Along with Dolph Tillotson, they have succumbed to "Orange Man Bad" syndrome - since Trump sealed the border, they must oppose that, regardless of basic common sense.
And so it goes. Hopefully no one else will die from fentanyl this week. But again, that's unlikely.
"GDN recently ran an op-ed from the Austin American-Statesman which chided Gov. Abbott for 'finally' agreeing to hand out fentanyl test strips to drug users in Austin.
Governor Abbott never had a problem with those test strips. The 2021 proposed bill (HB 1178) presented by Democrats wanted to legalize ALL drug paraphernalia which happens to include those strips. Governor Abbott was against that blanket bill. Only now are they proposing a "test strip only" bill. For the record, Governor Abbott never rejected a bill that included those test strips... it NEVER made it to his desk. SHAME ON YOU AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN for misleading its readers.
Are folks so partisan that they attempt to blame drugs coming from the southern border and immigration problems on administrations? I’m 56, and both are problems that haven’t been solved, or even practical solutions proposed, through the administrations of both parties.
Fentanyl is so profitable that if you stop one way that it is coming to USA, another way will be found by the people pushing it. It's much more profitable for dealers than other drugs. According to one DEA estimate a kilo of fentanyl costing about $4,000 wholesale could reap as much as $1.2 million in revenue — whereas $4,000 of wholesale heroin might bring in just $60,000.
Fentanyl comes across the border at the check points. One of the reasons is because the drug sniffing-dogs are not used for fentanyl and also the size of the fentanyl bricks are smaller... Though some shipments get seized, many more get through, in part because drug-sniffing dogs, who are capable of detecting opioids, have not been trained to identify fentanyl — for their own safety. The drug can be absorbed through the mucus membranes in dog’s noses, killing them just by getting too close to it. Rand Henderson, the sheriff of Montgomery County, a suburb of Houston that’s been hit hard by fentanyl overdoses, said the smaller sizes of fentanyl bundles make it difficult to stop the trafficking. “It’s not like moving bundles of marijuana,” he said. “These are much smaller bricks that are measured in pounds.”
The Justice Department revealed that ports of entry in San Diego and Imperial counties in Southern California were at the center of a surge in fentanyl seizures at the border, accounting for roughly 60% of seizures of the deadly drug in 2022.
Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez announced earlier this month that Border Patrol agents in the sector had made the "largest" bust of liquid fentanyl in U.S. history. "Fentanyl Bust!!! Extremely proud of our USBP agents & @NuecesCoSo [Nueces County Sheriff's Office] authorities who worked together, interdicted, & seized largest amount of liquid #fentanyl in the history of the USA from a traffic stop in Robstown, Texas," Chavez said on Twitter. Chavez detailed the bust in subsequent posts, saying that agents found 25 pounds, or three gallons, of liquid fentanyl hidden in a compartment within a gas tank and that the street value of the seizure was $1.8 million.
Border officers at Arizona's Nogales Port of Entry seized 1.5 million fentanyl pills in a single week, according to an announcement by Port Director Michael Humphries earlier this month.
The same Arizona port that saw over a million pills in one week set an even faster pace on a weekend in October, seizing roughly 500,000 fentanyl pills in two days. Humprhies announced on Twitter that agents at the port stopped three loads of fentanyl Oct. 22, including one load with 114,800 pills in a dashboard and 297,000 pills hidden in a single car. Agents were back at it the next day when they stopped two loads of fentanyl pills from smugglers attempting to get across the border, including 134,200 pills found in the rocker panels of a car.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement announced in October that Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, had been sentenced to 108 months in prison after agents made a record-setting fentanyl and methamphetamine bust at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in California. "This was a brazen attempt to smuggle a record amount of deadly narcotics into our country, and as this sentencing reflects, those persons looking to make a quick profit from narcotics smuggling will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted," Chad Plantz, special agent in charge, HSI San Diego, said in an ICE press release announcing the sentence. "HSI, along with our federal and local partners, is firmly committed to dismantling criminal organizations who blatantly ignore the laws of this nation." According to the press release, Quintana-Arias used a commercial trailer in an attempt to smuggle 17,584 pounds of methamphetamine and 388.93 pounds of fentanyl across the border, the "nation’s largest in each drug category for the calendar years 2021 and 2022 so far."
The drugs that are seized cannot harm anyone unless someone robbed the evidence room. So why worry about them? The drugs that were NOT seized are those that have killed.
Drugs coming into USA at port of entry vs. between a port of entry.
"Regardless of the number of drug dogs and technology and intelligence, the potential of smuggling the drugs in through a port of entry is far greater. Your ability to be captured coming across between a port of entry is much greater," said Kerlikowske, now a professor of practice in criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University. "It's very clear that (drugs) come through the ports."
Perhaps the best authority on how drugs are smuggled into the U.S. is Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the Mexican drug lord arrested by Mexican officials in 2016 and later extradited to the U.S. During his ongoing trial in New York, several of his cartel members have testified that they mostly pushed drugs through U.S. ports of entry, stashing bricks of narcotics in cars, trucks and trains, according to CNN. None of El Chapo's associates has testified that they moved drugs through the open border regions in between those ports.
Guadalupe Ramirez, CBP director of field operations for Arizona. CBP officers seize almost 10 times the volume of fentanyl per year than Border Patrol, which operates between the ports of entry. Ramirez said it’s hard to estimate how much contraband CBP officers don’t catch.
U.S. citizens carrying the drug through legal ports of entry are primarily to blame. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported an upward trend in fentanyl seizures over the past few years. From 2,800 pounds seized in FY 2019, CBP seized 11,200 pounds of fentanyl in FY 2021 and 12,900 pounds in FY 2022 through the end of August.
Per David Bier, associate director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, some people might wrongly think that "less fentanyl is interdicted between ports of entry because it is more difficult to detect there." But Bier notes that it's far easier for smugglers to conceal drugs while entering the U.S. at legal crossings (i.e., in vehicles) than it is for someone to cross the border undetected.
In reality, Border Patrol apprehends an exceedingly small number of people carrying fentanyl. "Just 279 of 1.8 million arrests by Border Patrol of illegal border crossers resulted in a fentanyl seizure—too small of a percentage (0.02 percent) to appear on a graph," writes Bier, "and many of these seizures occurred at vehicle checkpoints of legal travelers in the interior of the United States." Though it's obviously difficult to predict how much fentanyl could be carried by migrants who go Unapprehended by Border Patrol, the tiny share of apprehended migrants who are found carrying fentanyl suggests that amount could be quite small.
"In reality, Border Patrol apprehends an exceedingly small number of people carrying fentanyl." So Jim, how many fentanyl deaths are you comfortable with?
We are talking about Drugs, fentanyl coming into USA at port of entry vs. between a port of entry. No matter what is done, fentanyl will be in the USA.
You stop it one place and another way of getting it into the USA will be found. Drones, personal submarines, SCBA and such are being used now. Anytime a person can spend $4,000 and have a return of over One Millon dollars, people will find a way.
No deaths are OK, but when dealing with a substance like Fentanyl deaths is part of it.
Just as the 56,516 overdose deaths in the U.S. from fentanyl in 2020 was not OK, the total number of deaths from fentanyl in 2022 is not OK. The bad part is that no matter who is President, the number will be larger each and every year compared to the last.
"No matter what is done, fentanyl will be in the USA."
REMOVE THAT PRETENDER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE AMOUNT OF FENTANYL WILL DECREASE. Fentanyl is a CONTROLLED substance with legitimate medical use so posting about removing it completely 100% is not feasible. There has never been this much easily accessible until THE BIDEN assumed office. THE BIDEN's policies are cre3ating this mess.
The GCDN has added 2021 "Of those deaths, 71,238 were related to fentanyl in 2021". That's a 23% increase from 2020. And the 2022 numbers aren't finalized but are much higher than 2021. And pende Joe didn't even send a sympathy card.....
Carlos, just as I said before, just as the 56,516 overdose deaths in the U.S. from fentanyl in 2020 was not OK, the total number of deaths from fentanyl in 2022 is not OK. The bad part is that no matter who is President, the number will be larger each and every year compared to the last.
The number of deaths started to have huge increase before Biden was President. Was it Trumps fault, no, just as the increase we will see each and every year will not be whoever is in office fault.
The number of deaths from fentanyl were not OK before Biden and are not OK now.
When the amount of money that is involved in fentanyl, makes millionaires overnight, the problem will continue to become larger.
This is not a Republican or a Democrat problem but a problem that will not get better until the money involved disappears. This is not going to happen so fentanyl will just become a larger problem.
Since you found the numbers in the GDN, that was only an issue with you.
"The bad part is that no matter who is President, the number will be larger each and every year compared to the last." Unsubstantiated conjecture is NOT FACT.
Why would anyone think the number of deaths from fentanyl would do anything but increase in the years to come?
Below are the numbers for the years past, which showed that the problem is increasing at an alarming rate, each and every year. The large increases started in 2016 and has not slowed down since.
In 2014, fentanyl was involved in 4,223 deaths.
In 2015, it was 8,251 deaths
2016, fentanyl-related deaths had jumped to 18,335.
2017 there were 28,664 deaths because of fentanyl
2018 there were 31,331 deaths.
2019 there were 36,336 deaths
2020 there were 56, 566 deaths.
Deaths, 71,238 were related to fentanyl in 2021"
2022 numbers aren't finalized but are much higher than 2021.
Jim, look at your numbers. Increases shown before Biden but HUGE TREMENDOUS INCREASES since January 2021. If you can't figure it out, find a grade schooler to explain it to you.
Yes, Fentanyl deaths have increased. Under Biden the increase has been HUGE. Now I hope you understand because you keep repeating the same inane point which gets you NO WHERE. Now quit making unsubstantiated GUESSES.
Since you are trying to tie fentanyl death to one person, this look at what happened from 2017 to the end of 2021.
In 2017 there were 28,664 deaths from fentanyl and in 2021 there were 71,238 deaths from fentanyl. That's an increase of 42,574 deaths. This is a Hugh increase that no one would or should be happy about.
Durning the time period of 2019 to 2020 the percent of increase was Hugh. And the increase percent for the next year, 2021 was also Hugh.
If you want to blame a president, this happened while Trump was president. I do not blame him, because the numbers of deaths will continue to increase regardless of who is president.
"Since you are trying to tie fentanyl death to one person..." Jim, do you have cognitive difficulty? I never posted nor implied that! Pende Joe's ignoring the laws on the books has led to AN INCREASE, A HUGE INCREASE in fentanyl deaths, not its inception nor continuance but A HUGE INCREASE.
Believe what you want. One day there will be an article in the GCDN showing a decrease in fentanyl deaths.... but that will be after Pende Joe is gone.[beam]
A decrease in fentanyl deaths did not happen during Bushes term or Obamas or Trumps or Bidens so far. What makes you think the increase will slow down? We started reach Hugh numbers of deaths in 2016, and the number of deaths keep increasing to levels that no one should be happy about.
Unless we, the USA can take the profit out of fentanyl, it will continue to be a problem that we cannot solve.
It’s cheap to make—with returns in the order of 1,000 times the investment—although that is arguably not its most treasured feature. What makes it so appealing are its potency and compactness and ease of manufacturing, all of which make it easier for suppliers to bypass law enforcement crackdowns on illegal substances.
Phasing out of prescription opioids and Colombia’s shift away from the heroin trade left a hole in the US market that other heroin sources could not fill. This paved the way for fentanyl—straight from China at first, and then from Mexico.
Why did drug users in the USA shift to fentanyl. One is the profit and the other is it's easier to make, and transport because it is compact.
When we started to crack down on other drugs fentanyl took off as a replacement for the harder to come by drugs.
“The market has shifted towards fentanyl very rapidly as a result of numerous factors, but one of the top [ones] is pressure exerted by law enforcement all along the production chain—so the planting, harvesting, processing, and transport of heroin,”. This pushed drug traffickers to shift to a more compact and less detectable supply option.
The people manufacturing and selling fentanyl, do not care who is president, and will continue to grow their business. Growth means more deaths.
No president, Bush, Obama, Trump or Biden has been able to slow down the increasing fentanyl death march.
As more and more people are becoming rich because of fentanyl, which means more fentanyl will be coming to the USA, which will result in more deaths.
Until it is no longer true that fentanyl costing about $4,000 wholesale reaps as much as $1.2 million in revenue, we will have this fentanyl problem with no with way to decrease the deaths.
There is not man or woman that may become our next president, that can change this outcome, unless they can take away the profit people are making off of fentanyl.
And DOOM and GLOOM Forsythe posts again.[rolleyes]
Are all Liberals as pessimistic as you?
Jim does not want to wait because he knows any Republican president will do a better job than pende Joe. And Trump was negotiating with Mexico at the time of the 2020 election. Cartels were happy to see The Biden declared the winner because those plans were put aside.I wonder if pende Joe is going down to Mexico to pick up his cut.......
Since you think Trump could have done something about the fentanyl problem, he had four years to fix it. As far as negotiating with Mexico, he tried that and failed. The Trump administration has previously boasted of working with Mexican and Chinese officials to crackdown on both heroin and fentanyl. “We work closely with our counterparts in Mexico and China, as well as with international organizations, to stop these drugs from reaching our borders,” the agency said in October 2017, while Pompeo was still Director of the CIA. Durning the time he started negotiating in 2017 to when he left office, many died because it's not possible to slow down the increase in fentanyl deaths, that are increasing each year, unless a way of getting rid of the Hugh profits that fentanyl brings, is found.
For over 50 years presidents have tried and failed to fix the drug problem, and all have failed. When large sums of money are involved, success takes a back door.
2020: The U.S.-Mexico security relationship became even more strained after U.S. drug enforcement agents arrested the former Mexican defense minister, retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, on drug trafficking-related corruption charges as he and his family arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Oct. 15, 2020. That all but dismantled bilateral law enforcement operations between the two countries, especially over drug traffickers.
Maltz, the former DEA Special Operations chief, said the Cienfuegos arrest “set us back many, many years in Mexico and they are not being cooperative, and they are not working on joint operational successes.
What happening now? Biden will be flying to Mexico to meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrado, in two days.
Aides to both presidents have been working behind the scenes to tee up some form of counternarcotics agreement, or at least signs of progress, that can be announced when the two meet.
On Friday, White House spokesman John Kirby said Mexico already has taken "significant steps" to crack down on fentanyl traffickers and referenced Guzman's arrest. "That is not an insignificant accomplishment by Mexican authorities, and we're certainly grateful for that," Kirby told reporters. "So, we're going to continue to work with them in lockstep to see what we can do jointly to try to limit that flow."
Security analysts, however, said that the outcome is likely going to be the same as it’s been following similar summits attended by almost every U.S. president since Richard Nixon established the U.S. “War on Drugs” just over 50 years ago. There will be promises made by both sides to do more, followed by the inevitable backsliding when it comes to turning those promises into reality.
Trump and the other presidents have tried to reduce fentanyl deaths, and all failed in reducing deaths.
Jim, give it up, President Trump was making attempts to stem the flow of fentanyl. The Biden has not. In fact, his policies have exacerbated the flow of fentanyl.
" 'Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022,' [Kathryn] Cunningham said." From January 6 GCDN
Between 2020 and 2022 are the BIDEN years. Things have gotten FAR WORSE . Anyone who thinks this is a typical increase is an IDIOT.
So now you are trying to change history. By trying to claim that Trump was not in office during all of 2020, you are not being truthful.
Joe Biden's tenure as the 46th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2021.
You are right about one thing, fentanyl deaths did get worse during 2020. If any attempts to stem the flow of fentanyl were made, they did not slow down the increase in deaths from fentanyl.
That was the year a large mistake was made by arresting the former Mexican defense minister, retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, which was the end to any help from Mexico until Biden came into office. Bidens meeting with Mexico this week has a small chance of producing any change that slows the death rate.
As I said before, no president has been able to slow down the fentanyl death march. We can only hope Biden is able to change this fact.
List all numbers between 1 and 6. An elementary student would answer with just the whole numbers 2, 3, 4, 5. A high school student would answer 1 > X < 6. Now if you ask the student to name all numbers between 1 and 6 INCLUSIVE, the answer would be 1 ≥ X ≤ 6. The former does not include 1 and six, the latter does. Shown on a graph line, one and six would have open circles indicating they are not included in the answer. In the latter those circles would be filled in. I stand by my statement. You may argue President Trump's term did extend a few weeks into 2021 but that brief period of time would be inconsequential as Mexico stopped negotiations with the Trump administration.
Correction, I accidentally inserted the wrong symbol: I am not used to using these symbols via computer.
Lesson: List all numbers between 1 and 6. An elementary student would answer with just the whole numbers 2, 3, 4, 5. A high school student would answer 1 < X < 6. Now if you ask the student to name all numbers between 1 and 6 INCLUSIVE, the answer would be 1 ≤ X ≤ 6. The former does not include 1 and six, the latter does. Shown on a graph line, one and six would have open circles indicating they are not included in the answer. In the latter those circles would be filled in. I stand by my statement. You may argue President Trump's term did extend a few weeks into 2021 but that brief period of time would be inconsequential as Mexico stopped negotiations with the Trump administration.
"Carlos, you also left out part of what Kathryn said. Below is what she said.
'Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022."
Carlos Ponce Jan 9, 2023 6:12am
" 'Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022,' [Kathryn] Cunningham said." From January 6 GCDN
But Jim posts I left it off.............[rolleyes]
The "war on drugs" has been going since 1971. The term WAR means utilizing lethal combat. Until the entire community of drug users, dealers, suppliers and manufactures are subjected to surrender or be annihilation there is no stopping this scourge on humanity.
The current situation has been an evolving situation by
PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL influence since1971 has created the disaster of drugs in our country. The PROGRESSIVE LIBERALS have been sponsoring Cannabis legalization across the country. Cannabis is the starter drug for the youth and eventually leads to more serious and dangerous addiction.
Any drug that is used for other than a serious medical purpose is detrimental to society. Those involved in manufacturing, transporting, distributing, selling and using drugs are equally responsible for an act of TERRORIST ATTACK on society in general. From the addict to the source suppliers the penalty must be so severe that it impairs that criminal from continuing any act in society that is not at minimum monitored by a tracking device. Any identified supplier or manufacturer that is associated with the bulk movement whether domestic or foreign must be subjected to destruction of the facility as if they were a TERRORIST.
Terrorist are hunted and seal teams will either capture or annihilate them.
The progressive liberals corrupt everything they touch.
While it is impossible to keep fentanyl from being imported into the country, border patrol and a wall would certainly limit points of entry and make it more difficult. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out if you just leave the doors open of course the incidence of smuggling are going to increase. That’s just common sense and simple probability. Crime will always exist but we should make it easy by having unsecured borders.
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Let's take a look at some history that takes us far from the norm. A world-famous tattoo artist, J.T. Clark and his wife, Bertha, and how turn of the 20th century events in Galveston changed the trajectory of their lives.
(79) comments
"Overdoses and deaths from the synthetic opioid fentanyl have been on the rise across the country for months and the grim trend has reached Galveston County." -Trace Harris GCDN
“Fentanyl was unheard of just a few years ago, but it has quickly increased,” Capt. James Roy of the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office said.
Galveston County Daily News Oct 23, 2022
Fentanyl was present during President Trump's administration but not to this extent.
The problem starts with "Bi" and ends in "den".
The important part of the story is for everyone to be aware that fentanyl is here and all need to be on high alert to keep everyone safe.
Carlos, for some reason you see a need to make this political. The story did not say a word about any President, but you thought it would be a good idea to do so. Fentanyl has been a problem for a while and will become a larger problem regardless of who is President. The problem was becoming a larger problem during the last years of Trumps term. Below is a report that shows when fentanyl increased into the problem we have now. If you want to blame Biden, you also need to include Trump. The first-time monthly fentanyl seizures saw a sizable spike over the last four years was in June of 2020 under former President Donald Trump when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 713 pounds of the drug, an almost 200 percent increase from the month before. Only once before then, over fiscal years 2020 and 2019, did the pounds of fentanyl seized in a month crack 400 pounds. However, following the June 2020 seizure, the pounds of fentanyl taken by CBP has surpassed the 700-pound mark each month all but twice. The two greatest monthly seizures of 1,212 pounds and 1,193 pounds both took place in October and December of 2020, just before Trump's turnover to Biden.
The USA has had a long history of drug problems and no President has been able to stop drugs from coming to the USA.
Jim posts, " Carlos, for some reason you see a need to make this political." Read the previous GCDN articles. Before Biden there was a problem but since there is a crisis. One cannot ignore the cause and effect of this.
This is a problem that did not just happen.
The first-time monthly fentanyl seizures saw a sizable spike over the last four years was in June of 2020 under former President Donald Trump when Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 713 pounds of the drug, an almost 200 percent increase from the month before. Only once before then, over fiscal years 2020 and 2019, did the pounds of fentanyl seized in a month crack 400 pounds. However, following the June 2020 seizure, the pounds of fentanyl taken by CBP has surpassed the 700-pound mark each month all but twice. The two greatest monthly seizures of 1,212 pounds and 1,193 pounds both took place in October and December of 2020, just before Trump's turnover to Biden.
Just as Trump had this problem, all the Presidents going forward will also.
"June of 2020" and ever since then, it has SKYROCKETED!!!!!
It was during Trumps term.
Jim is worried about seizures. It is the fentanyl that hasn't been seized that you need to worry about. Do you really believe SEIZED FENTANYL killed those two in Galveston?
Thanks for the timely warning, Michael. I'm not sure what the Venn diagram of street drug users and GCDN editorial readers looks like, but this is a conversation every parent should be having with their kids. [thumbup]
Most fentanyl is made in China and sold to the cartels operating in northern Mexico. The cartels also control the immigration flow - they often send large numbers of immigrants across in one place to tie up CBP and law enforcement - and then run the drugs through at another place. Some of these cartels are now multibillion dollar conglomerates. The Chinese fentanyl manufacturers are making a pretty penny as well.
GDN recently ran an op-ed from the Austin American-Statesman which chided Gov. Abbott for "finally" agreeing to hand out fentanyl test strips to drug users in Austin.
Like Michael Smith, the AAS writer assumes that people who are inclined to use illegal drugs will nevertheless have the good judgment to watch out for and/or test for fentanyl. That's just not likely.
At the same time, they ignore our border crisis - which the Biden Administration happily created, beginning with the President's "day 1" executive orders. Along with Dolph Tillotson, they have succumbed to "Orange Man Bad" syndrome - since Trump sealed the border, they must oppose that, regardless of basic common sense.
And so it goes. Hopefully no one else will die from fentanyl this week. But again, that's unlikely.
"GDN recently ran an op-ed from the Austin American-Statesman which chided Gov. Abbott for 'finally' agreeing to hand out fentanyl test strips to drug users in Austin.
Governor Abbott never had a problem with those test strips. The 2021 proposed bill (HB 1178) presented by Democrats wanted to legalize ALL drug paraphernalia which happens to include those strips. Governor Abbott was against that blanket bill. Only now are they proposing a "test strip only" bill. For the record, Governor Abbott never rejected a bill that included those test strips... it NEVER made it to his desk. SHAME ON YOU AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN for misleading its readers.
Are folks so partisan that they attempt to blame drugs coming from the southern border and immigration problems on administrations? I’m 56, and both are problems that haven’t been solved, or even practical solutions proposed, through the administrations of both parties.
Michael, there was a drug problem crossing the border for several administrations. But under the current administration that problem has SKYROCKETED.
Fentanyl is so profitable that if you stop one way that it is coming to USA, another way will be found by the people pushing it. It's much more profitable for dealers than other drugs. According to one DEA estimate a kilo of fentanyl costing about $4,000 wholesale could reap as much as $1.2 million in revenue — whereas $4,000 of wholesale heroin might bring in just $60,000.
Fentanyl comes across the border at the check points. One of the reasons is because the drug sniffing-dogs are not used for fentanyl and also the size of the fentanyl bricks are smaller... Though some shipments get seized, many more get through, in part because drug-sniffing dogs, who are capable of detecting opioids, have not been trained to identify fentanyl — for their own safety. The drug can be absorbed through the mucus membranes in dog’s noses, killing them just by getting too close to it. Rand Henderson, the sheriff of Montgomery County, a suburb of Houston that’s been hit hard by fentanyl overdoses, said the smaller sizes of fentanyl bundles make it difficult to stop the trafficking. “It’s not like moving bundles of marijuana,” he said. “These are much smaller bricks that are measured in pounds.”
Jim posted, 'Fentanyl comes across the border at the check points.'
"Border Patrol Keeps Finding the Fentanyl that Supposedly Only Comes Through the Ports"
https://cis.org/Arthur/Border-Patrol-Keeps-Finding-Fentanyl-Supposedly-Only-Comes-Through-Ports
The Justice Department revealed that ports of entry in San Diego and Imperial counties in Southern California were at the center of a surge in fentanyl seizures at the border, accounting for roughly 60% of seizures of the deadly drug in 2022.
Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez announced earlier this month that Border Patrol agents in the sector had made the "largest" bust of liquid fentanyl in U.S. history. "Fentanyl Bust!!! Extremely proud of our USBP agents & @NuecesCoSo [Nueces County Sheriff's Office] authorities who worked together, interdicted, & seized largest amount of liquid #fentanyl in the history of the USA from a traffic stop in Robstown, Texas," Chavez said on Twitter. Chavez detailed the bust in subsequent posts, saying that agents found 25 pounds, or three gallons, of liquid fentanyl hidden in a compartment within a gas tank and that the street value of the seizure was $1.8 million.
Border officers at Arizona's Nogales Port of Entry seized 1.5 million fentanyl pills in a single week, according to an announcement by Port Director Michael Humphries earlier this month.
The same Arizona port that saw over a million pills in one week set an even faster pace on a weekend in October, seizing roughly 500,000 fentanyl pills in two days. Humprhies announced on Twitter that agents at the port stopped three loads of fentanyl Oct. 22, including one load with 114,800 pills in a dashboard and 297,000 pills hidden in a single car. Agents were back at it the next day when they stopped two loads of fentanyl pills from smugglers attempting to get across the border, including 134,200 pills found in the rocker panels of a car.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement announced in October that Carlos Martin Quintana-Arias, had been sentenced to 108 months in prison after agents made a record-setting fentanyl and methamphetamine bust at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in California. "This was a brazen attempt to smuggle a record amount of deadly narcotics into our country, and as this sentencing reflects, those persons looking to make a quick profit from narcotics smuggling will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted," Chad Plantz, special agent in charge, HSI San Diego, said in an ICE press release announcing the sentence. "HSI, along with our federal and local partners, is firmly committed to dismantling criminal organizations who blatantly ignore the laws of this nation." According to the press release, Quintana-Arias used a commercial trailer in an attempt to smuggle 17,584 pounds of methamphetamine and 388.93 pounds of fentanyl across the border, the "nation’s largest in each drug category for the calendar years 2021 and 2022 so far."
The drugs that are seized cannot harm anyone unless someone robbed the evidence room. So why worry about them? The drugs that were NOT seized are those that have killed.
Drugs coming into USA at port of entry vs. between a port of entry.
"Regardless of the number of drug dogs and technology and intelligence, the potential of smuggling the drugs in through a port of entry is far greater. Your ability to be captured coming across between a port of entry is much greater," said Kerlikowske, now a professor of practice in criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University. "It's very clear that (drugs) come through the ports."
Perhaps the best authority on how drugs are smuggled into the U.S. is Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the Mexican drug lord arrested by Mexican officials in 2016 and later extradited to the U.S. During his ongoing trial in New York, several of his cartel members have testified that they mostly pushed drugs through U.S. ports of entry, stashing bricks of narcotics in cars, trucks and trains, according to CNN. None of El Chapo's associates has testified that they moved drugs through the open border regions in between those ports.
Guadalupe Ramirez, CBP director of field operations for Arizona. CBP officers seize almost 10 times the volume of fentanyl per year than Border Patrol, which operates between the ports of entry. Ramirez said it’s hard to estimate how much contraband CBP officers don’t catch.
U.S. citizens carrying the drug through legal ports of entry are primarily to blame. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported an upward trend in fentanyl seizures over the past few years. From 2,800 pounds seized in FY 2019, CBP seized 11,200 pounds of fentanyl in FY 2021 and 12,900 pounds in FY 2022 through the end of August.
Per David Bier, associate director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, some people might wrongly think that "less fentanyl is interdicted between ports of entry because it is more difficult to detect there." But Bier notes that it's far easier for smugglers to conceal drugs while entering the U.S. at legal crossings (i.e., in vehicles) than it is for someone to cross the border undetected.
In reality, Border Patrol apprehends an exceedingly small number of people carrying fentanyl. "Just 279 of 1.8 million arrests by Border Patrol of illegal border crossers resulted in a fentanyl seizure—too small of a percentage (0.02 percent) to appear on a graph," writes Bier, "and many of these seizures occurred at vehicle checkpoints of legal travelers in the interior of the United States." Though it's obviously difficult to predict how much fentanyl could be carried by migrants who go Unapprehended by Border Patrol, the tiny share of apprehended migrants who are found carrying fentanyl suggests that amount could be quite small.
"In reality, Border Patrol apprehends an exceedingly small number of people carrying fentanyl." So Jim, how many fentanyl deaths are you comfortable with?
We are talking about Drugs, fentanyl coming into USA at port of entry vs. between a port of entry. No matter what is done, fentanyl will be in the USA.
You stop it one place and another way of getting it into the USA will be found. Drones, personal submarines, SCBA and such are being used now. Anytime a person can spend $4,000 and have a return of over One Millon dollars, people will find a way.
No deaths are OK, but when dealing with a substance like Fentanyl deaths is part of it.
Just as the 56,516 overdose deaths in the U.S. from fentanyl in 2020 was not OK, the total number of deaths from fentanyl in 2022 is not OK. The bad part is that no matter who is President, the number will be larger each and every year compared to the last.
"No matter what is done, fentanyl will be in the USA."
REMOVE THAT PRETENDER FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE AMOUNT OF FENTANYL WILL DECREASE. Fentanyl is a CONTROLLED substance with legitimate medical use so posting about removing it completely 100% is not feasible. There has never been this much easily accessible until THE BIDEN assumed office. THE BIDEN's policies are cre3ating this mess.
56,516 overdose deaths in the U.S. from fentanyl in 2020.
Notice Jim leaves off 2021 and 2022. No need to wonder why.[rolleyes]
If you think it's needed, add them.
The GCDN has added 2021 "Of those deaths, 71,238 were related to fentanyl in 2021". That's a 23% increase from 2020. And the 2022 numbers aren't finalized but are much higher than 2021. And pende Joe didn't even send a sympathy card.....
Carlos, just as I said before, just as the 56,516 overdose deaths in the U.S. from fentanyl in 2020 was not OK, the total number of deaths from fentanyl in 2022 is not OK. The bad part is that no matter who is President, the number will be larger each and every year compared to the last.
The number of deaths started to have huge increase before Biden was President. Was it Trumps fault, no, just as the increase we will see each and every year will not be whoever is in office fault.
The number of deaths from fentanyl were not OK before Biden and are not OK now.
When the amount of money that is involved in fentanyl, makes millionaires overnight, the problem will continue to become larger.
This is not a Republican or a Democrat problem but a problem that will not get better until the money involved disappears. This is not going to happen so fentanyl will just become a larger problem.
Since you found the numbers in the GDN, that was only an issue with you.
"The bad part is that no matter who is President, the number will be larger each and every year compared to the last." Unsubstantiated conjecture is NOT FACT.
Why would anyone think the number of deaths from fentanyl would do anything but increase in the years to come?
Below are the numbers for the years past, which showed that the problem is increasing at an alarming rate, each and every year. The large increases started in 2016 and has not slowed down since.
In 2014, fentanyl was involved in 4,223 deaths.
In 2015, it was 8,251 deaths
2016, fentanyl-related deaths had jumped to 18,335.
2017 there were 28,664 deaths because of fentanyl
2018 there were 31,331 deaths.
2019 there were 36,336 deaths
2020 there were 56, 566 deaths.
Deaths, 71,238 were related to fentanyl in 2021"
2022 numbers aren't finalized but are much higher than 2021.
Jim, look at your numbers. Increases shown before Biden but HUGE TREMENDOUS INCREASES since January 2021. If you can't figure it out, find a grade schooler to explain it to you.
"The number will be larger each and every year compared to the last."
Looks like Jim couldn't find a grade schooler.
The increase from 2019 to 2020 is 20,520, up from 36,336 deaths in 2019. That is a Hugh increase.
But just like I said, it makes no difference who is or was President at the time, the problem is getting worse each and every year.
Wait until that pretender is cast out.
But just like I said, it makes no difference who is or was President at the time, the problem is getting worse each and every year.
Unsubstantiated conjecture is NOT FACT.
Since1999, the numbers of deaths from fentanyl have increased each and every year.
Why would you think that trend is not going to continue?
If this trend could be slowed down, it would already have been done.
Since 1999, when 730 people died because of fentanyl, no year has had less deaths than the year before.
Jim apparently has a problem with ENGLISH.
Yes, Fentanyl deaths have increased. Under Biden the increase has been HUGE. Now I hope you understand because you keep repeating the same inane point which gets you NO WHERE. Now quit making unsubstantiated GUESSES.
Every year since 2016 the deaths have been Hugh. It has nothing with who is president and you trying to make it a Biden thing is just not true.
Deaths have gone up. To ignore Pende Joe's HUGE impact on recent HUGE increases is denying the truth. You're delusional James Loyd!
Since you are trying to tie fentanyl death to one person, this look at what happened from 2017 to the end of 2021.
In 2017 there were 28,664 deaths from fentanyl and in 2021 there were 71,238 deaths from fentanyl. That's an increase of 42,574 deaths. This is a Hugh increase that no one would or should be happy about.
Durning the time period of 2019 to 2020 the percent of increase was Hugh. And the increase percent for the next year, 2021 was also Hugh.
If you want to blame a president, this happened while Trump was president. I do not blame him, because the numbers of deaths will continue to increase regardless of who is president.
"Since you are trying to tie fentanyl death to one person..." Jim, do you have cognitive difficulty? I never posted nor implied that! Pende Joe's ignoring the laws on the books has led to AN INCREASE, A HUGE INCREASE in fentanyl deaths, not its inception nor continuance but A HUGE INCREASE.
Believe what you want. One day there will be an article in the GCDN showing a decrease in fentanyl deaths.... but that will be after Pende Joe is gone.[beam]
A decrease in fentanyl deaths did not happen during Bushes term or Obamas or Trumps or Bidens so far. What makes you think the increase will slow down? We started reach Hugh numbers of deaths in 2016, and the number of deaths keep increasing to levels that no one should be happy about.
Jim: "after Pende Joe is gone" you will see a decrease.
Nothing has stopped the increase. Ater Bidens second term, the deaths will still increase.
In 2017 there were 28,664 deaths from fentanyl and in 2021 there were 71,238 deaths from fentanyl. That's an increase of 42,574 deaths.
Just wait, Jim. Once the Bidenistas are gone you will see an improvement in EVERYTHING, especially a drop in fentanyl deaths.
Unless we, the USA can take the profit out of fentanyl, it will continue to be a problem that we cannot solve.
It’s cheap to make—with returns in the order of 1,000 times the investment—although that is arguably not its most treasured feature. What makes it so appealing are its potency and compactness and ease of manufacturing, all of which make it easier for suppliers to bypass law enforcement crackdowns on illegal substances.
Phasing out of prescription opioids and Colombia’s shift away from the heroin trade left a hole in the US market that other heroin sources could not fill. This paved the way for fentanyl—straight from China at first, and then from Mexico.
Why did drug users in the USA shift to fentanyl. One is the profit and the other is it's easier to make, and transport because it is compact.
When we started to crack down on other drugs fentanyl took off as a replacement for the harder to come by drugs.
“The market has shifted towards fentanyl very rapidly as a result of numerous factors, but one of the top [ones] is pressure exerted by law enforcement all along the production chain—so the planting, harvesting, processing, and transport of heroin,”. This pushed drug traffickers to shift to a more compact and less detectable supply option.
The people manufacturing and selling fentanyl, do not care who is president, and will continue to grow their business. Growth means more deaths.
"Unless we, the USA can take the profit out of fentanyl, it will continue to be a problem that we cannot solve." Wrong approach with cartels.
"Mexico, unless you stop the distribution of fentanyl into our country, we will do XXXXXXX."
With returns in the order of 1,000 times the investment, fentanyl will find a way into the USA.
Is that like, "Mexico, unless you pay for that wall, we will do XXXXXXX."
No. It looks like Jim has to wait until a REAL president handles it.
No president, Bush, Obama, Trump or Biden has been able to slow down the increasing fentanyl death march.
As more and more people are becoming rich because of fentanyl, which means more fentanyl will be coming to the USA, which will result in more deaths.
Until it is no longer true that fentanyl costing about $4,000 wholesale reaps as much as $1.2 million in revenue, we will have this fentanyl problem with no with way to decrease the deaths.
There is not man or woman that may become our next president, that can change this outcome, unless they can take away the profit people are making off of fentanyl.
Jim is chasing his tail again! WAIT AND SEE! Fentanyl will not cease but be dealt with. Pende Joe isn't dealing with it.
"There is not man or woman that may become our next president, that can change this outcome"
You keep saying wait and see. Please name that person that will deal with fentanyl to the point that it is no longer killing many, many Americans.
If you say Trump. he already failed.
And DOOM and GLOOM Forsythe posts again.[rolleyes]
Are all Liberals as pessimistic as you?
Jim does not want to wait because he knows any Republican president will do a better job than pende Joe. And Trump was negotiating with Mexico at the time of the 2020 election. Cartels were happy to see The Biden declared the winner because those plans were put aside.I wonder if pende Joe is going down to Mexico to pick up his cut.......
Not one Republican or Democrat has reduced the fentanyl deaths.
The ones we have that are in line to become president, none of them will slow down this problem, unless they can take the profit out of it.
What has happened since 2000, the death numbers have increased each and every year.
As always you are trying to make it a party problem, when is a USA problem.
More DOOM AND GLOOM from Jim!
Since you think Trump could have done something about the fentanyl problem, he had four years to fix it. As far as negotiating with Mexico, he tried that and failed. The Trump administration has previously boasted of working with Mexican and Chinese officials to crackdown on both heroin and fentanyl. “We work closely with our counterparts in Mexico and China, as well as with international organizations, to stop these drugs from reaching our borders,” the agency said in October 2017, while Pompeo was still Director of the CIA. Durning the time he started negotiating in 2017 to when he left office, many died because it's not possible to slow down the increase in fentanyl deaths, that are increasing each year, unless a way of getting rid of the Hugh profits that fentanyl brings, is found.
"he had four years to fix it. " Negotiations involving Mexico were in place at the end of 2020. Look for them to be resumed when he returns to office.
For over 50 years presidents have tried and failed to fix the drug problem, and all have failed. When large sums of money are involved, success takes a back door.
2020: The U.S.-Mexico security relationship became even more strained after U.S. drug enforcement agents arrested the former Mexican defense minister, retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, on drug trafficking-related corruption charges as he and his family arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Oct. 15, 2020. That all but dismantled bilateral law enforcement operations between the two countries, especially over drug traffickers.
Maltz, the former DEA Special Operations chief, said the Cienfuegos arrest “set us back many, many years in Mexico and they are not being cooperative, and they are not working on joint operational successes.
What happening now? Biden will be flying to Mexico to meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrado, in two days.
Aides to both presidents have been working behind the scenes to tee up some form of counternarcotics agreement, or at least signs of progress, that can be announced when the two meet.
On Friday, White House spokesman John Kirby said Mexico already has taken "significant steps" to crack down on fentanyl traffickers and referenced Guzman's arrest. "That is not an insignificant accomplishment by Mexican authorities, and we're certainly grateful for that," Kirby told reporters. "So, we're going to continue to work with them in lockstep to see what we can do jointly to try to limit that flow."
Security analysts, however, said that the outcome is likely going to be the same as it’s been following similar summits attended by almost every U.S. president since Richard Nixon established the U.S. “War on Drugs” just over 50 years ago. There will be promises made by both sides to do more, followed by the inevitable backsliding when it comes to turning those promises into reality.
Trump and the other presidents have tried to reduce fentanyl deaths, and all failed in reducing deaths.
DOOM AND GLOOM Jim strikes again!
No Carlos, because Trump and the other presidents have tried to reduce fentanyl deaths, and all failed in reducing deaths.
Jim, give it up, President Trump was making attempts to stem the flow of fentanyl. The Biden has not. In fact, his policies have exacerbated the flow of fentanyl.
" 'Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022,' [Kathryn] Cunningham said." From January 6 GCDN
Between 2020 and 2022 are the BIDEN years. Things have gotten FAR WORSE . Anyone who thinks this is a typical increase is an IDIOT.
So now you are trying to change history. By trying to claim that Trump was not in office during all of 2020, you are not being truthful.
Joe Biden's tenure as the 46th president of the United States began with his inauguration on January 20, 2021.
You are right about one thing, fentanyl deaths did get worse during 2020. If any attempts to stem the flow of fentanyl were made, they did not slow down the increase in deaths from fentanyl.
That was the year a large mistake was made by arresting the former Mexican defense minister, retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, which was the end to any help from Mexico until Biden came into office. Bidens meeting with Mexico this week has a small chance of producing any change that slows the death rate.
As I said before, no president has been able to slow down the fentanyl death march. We can only hope Biden is able to change this fact.
She said BETWEEN 2020 and 2022, Jim, Do you know what that means? Apparently not.
You, Carlos post, Between 2020 and 2022 are the BIDEN years. Things have gotten FAR WORSE. Anyone who thinks this is a typical increase is an IDIOT.
This was your words. You post it you own it.
Nowhere did she say, Trump or Biden. so you adding ,, Between 2020 and 2022 are the BIDEN years, made it all yours.
Beam me up, Scotty. No intelligence found in any of Jim's posts!
Carlos you can call names, but I'm not the one who posted, Between 2020 and 2022 are the BIDEN years.
You posted a lie, and now you want to distance yourself from the lie.
Jim needs an education.What I posted was correct.
Lesson:
List all numbers between 1 and 6. An elementary student would answer with just the whole numbers 2, 3, 4, 5. A high school student would answer 1 > X < 6. Now if you ask the student to name all numbers between 1 and 6 INCLUSIVE, the answer would be 1 ≥ X ≤ 6. The former does not include 1 and six, the latter does. Shown on a graph line, one and six would have open circles indicating they are not included in the answer. In the latter those circles would be filled in. I stand by my statement. You may argue President Trump's term did extend a few weeks into 2021 but that brief period of time would be inconsequential as Mexico stopped negotiations with the Trump administration.
Correction, I accidentally inserted the wrong symbol: I am not used to using these symbols via computer.
Lesson: List all numbers between 1 and 6. An elementary student would answer with just the whole numbers 2, 3, 4, 5. A high school student would answer 1 < X < 6. Now if you ask the student to name all numbers between 1 and 6 INCLUSIVE, the answer would be 1 ≤ X ≤ 6. The former does not include 1 and six, the latter does. Shown on a graph line, one and six would have open circles indicating they are not included in the answer. In the latter those circles would be filled in. I stand by my statement. You may argue President Trump's term did extend a few weeks into 2021 but that brief period of time would be inconsequential as Mexico stopped negotiations with the Trump administration.
No way as the right. Between 2020 and 2022 are the BIDEN years. This is what you, Carlos posted, and it is wrong.
Jim, I am correct.
Carlos, 2020 was a Trump, year unless you are saying Trump was only in office 3 years.
You, Carlos posted, between 2020 and 2022 are the BIDEN years. Trump was President for one of the years. 2020.
You did not insert the wrong symbol in your statement about Biden years.
[Kathryn] Cunningham used 2020 and 2021. and you change what she said by inserting the Biden years into her story and you did not change the years.
Jim, President Trump was in office in 2020. The statement made BETWEEN 2020 and 2022. If you don't understand, I have tried to show you.
"Now James, sit BETWEEN Stephanie and Joseph. No, no, Jim, BETWEEN them. Get off Stephanie's lap!"[rolleyes]
2020 started January 2020, and 2021 ended on December 31st, 2021. This is what [Kathryn] Cunningham used when she wrote her story.
When Kathryn used "and", she was including all of 2020 and all of 2021.
Carlos, you also left out part of what Kathryn said. Below is what she said.
“Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022.
This is her comparing the increase from 2020 and 2021. Two full years.
"Carlos, you also left out part of what Kathryn said. Below is what she said.
'Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022."
Carlos Ponce Jan 9, 2023 6:12am
" 'Texas, which is the second most populous state in the country, has seen a 70 percent increase in overdoses between 2020 and 2022,' [Kathryn] Cunningham said." From January 6 GCDN
But Jim posts I left it off.............[rolleyes]
The "war on drugs" has been going since 1971. The term WAR means utilizing lethal combat. Until the entire community of drug users, dealers, suppliers and manufactures are subjected to surrender or be annihilation there is no stopping this scourge on humanity.
The current situation has been an evolving situation by
PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL influence since1971 has created the disaster of drugs in our country. The PROGRESSIVE LIBERALS have been sponsoring Cannabis legalization across the country. Cannabis is the starter drug for the youth and eventually leads to more serious and dangerous addiction.
Any drug that is used for other than a serious medical purpose is detrimental to society. Those involved in manufacturing, transporting, distributing, selling and using drugs are equally responsible for an act of TERRORIST ATTACK on society in general. From the addict to the source suppliers the penalty must be so severe that it impairs that criminal from continuing any act in society that is not at minimum monitored by a tracking device. Any identified supplier or manufacturer that is associated with the bulk movement whether domestic or foreign must be subjected to destruction of the facility as if they were a TERRORIST.
Terrorist are hunted and seal teams will either capture or annihilate them.
The progressive liberals corrupt everything they touch.
While it is impossible to keep fentanyl from being imported into the country, border patrol and a wall would certainly limit points of entry and make it more difficult. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out if you just leave the doors open of course the incidence of smuggling are going to increase. That’s just common sense and simple probability. Crime will always exist but we should make it easy by having unsecured borders.
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