Rampant trade tariffs are no cure for the US’ fentanyl crisis

The US government, despite opposition from all sides, has slapped tariffs indiscriminately on countries around the world. Citing China’s alleged failure to take sufficient measures to address the fentanyl issue, the United States announced an additional 20 per cent tariff on Chinese products exported to the US, including those from Hong Kong.

The fentanyl crisis is a tumour in American society stemming from the US government’s own failure at social governance. Making someone else swallow bitter medicine won’t solve America’s problem. The United States is the world’s largest consumer of opioid drugs. Although its population accounts for only 4 per cent of the world’s total, it consumes more than 80 per cent of the global opioids.

In 2023 alone, around 74,000 Americans died after taking drug mixtures containing fentanyl. This public health disaster results from the US’ own painkiller culture. For years, under a push by the US pharmaceutical industry, opioid painkillers became extremely popular, while supervision lagged far behind. To eradicate the fentanyl crisis, the US must address the root cause rather than shift the blame on to others.