Trump's drug czar says US urging China to crack down on fentanyl, other dangerous drugs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Slow to respond..." and "didn't use available resources."
That's how a government watchdog described the Drug Enforcement Administration's handling of the dramatic increase in opioid abuse in the U.S. since 2000.
In one instance, the report faulted the agency for authorizing a 400 percent increase in the production of the opioid oxycodone between 2002 and 2013.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meantime, the Trump administration has ramped up its fight to stem the flow of fentanyl into this country.
Director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy Jim Carroll told Fox News on Tuesday the administration expects Beijing to do more to help fight the fentanyl epidemic. "The Chinese government needs to step up and do more to stop the flow of drugs coming out of that country."
Carroll, who recently returned from an official visit to China with other top U.S. drug policy officials, said Washington managed to secure a number of fresh commitments from Beijing, noting that the country:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}* had enacted tougher sentencing laws for drug distributors and manufacturers
* agreed to share actionable intelligence on the whereabouts of illegal fentanyl shipments
* redoubled its efforts to stiffen postal controls to keep drug shipments from making their way into the U.S.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Carroll said there's much more to come. "We expect the Chinese to begin making arrests, conducting investigations and putting people away who are sending drugs to this country."
DOCTOR COULD FACE LIFE IN PRISON FOR PRESCRIBING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OPIOIDS
The nation's drug czar said he understood why some Americans might be wary of promises made by the Chinese but remained optimistic. "I was one of those skeptics and I still am skeptical. It's time for them to act. Time is up. They're on the clock."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The problem has been acute. Over the weekend, Ohio's most populous county reported 10 deaths from drug overdoses in just a 26-hour period that ended Sunday morning. Fentanyl use was suspected.
Worse, it's been part of a shocking trend, with overdose deaths related to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids up over 800 percent since 2013.
At home and abroad, President Trump has targeted the fight against fentanyl as one of his administration's most important goals, even giving the Department of Health and Human Services $1.8 billion to help states and communities fight the crisis.
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"This is like a war-like situation," Trump said at a rally in New Mexico in September.
A situation unlike any other, where the drugs come from all over the globe and the casualties come from all walks of life here at home.