In honor of Texas' Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month, the Texas Public Policy Foundation commemorated the victims of the ongoing crisis while advocating for practical policies aimed at preventing further deaths nationwide. Selene Rodriguez, Policy Director for Secure & Sovereign Frontier, issued a statement shedding light on the alarming rise of fentanyl availability across the United States.
"Fentanyl is increasingly accessible to every individual in our country, causing a devastating impact. In Texas alone, over five individuals succumb to fentanyl-related deaths each day," Rodriguez stated.
She emphasized the need to address the primary source of fentanyl entering communities — the southern border. Rodriguez pointed out that Mexican drug cartels, once predominantly dealing in marijuana and opium, have adapted their strategies to import fentanyl from China. These cartels are now manufacturing fentanyl-based pills, often disguised as common pharmaceuticals such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, Percocet, and Adderall. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, cartels are operating large-scale labs to produce synthetic drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that these cartels mass-produce these pills in Mexico, and just one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to cause the deaths of 500,000 people.
Rodriguez highlighted the efforts made under Texas' Operation Lone Star, during which law enforcement seized over 429 million lethal doses of fentanyl. However, these numbers do not encompass fentanyl seizures made by Customs and Border Protection at ports of entry or by Border Patrol agents between ports.
The statement praised Governor Abbott's initiatives to combat drug smuggling and expressed gratitude to the Texas Legislature for dedicating October as a month to remember the lives lost due to the fentanyl crisis. Rodriguez urged elected officials to take decisive action in securing the border and combating human smuggling and drug trafficking. She emphasized that without stringent border security measures, an influx of drugs, criminals, and subsequent American casualties would persist.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation continues to advocate for awareness and effective policies to curb the fentanyl crisis, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated efforts to save lives and protect communities.
