From Opium Wars to Fentanyl Crisis: A History of Drug Conflicts

From Opium Wars to Fentanyl Crisis: A History of Drug Conflicts

Drug use in the Western world has a long and complicated history, marked by conflicts and crises that have had profound societal impacts. From the Opium Wars of the 19th century to the current fentanyl crisis, this article explores the historical context and evolving nature of drug conflicts, highlighting key statistics and insights from the provided link.

The Opium Wars

In the fall of 1839, Britain launched an attack on China for banning the sale of opium, an addictive substance that the British were selling to the Chinese population. At the time, opiate addiction was rampant in China, prompting the emperor to prohibit the drug. The British response was devastating, destroying much of the Chinese Navy and forcing China to pay reparations for destroyed opium stocks and resume trade. This conflict continued until another war in 1856, which ended with the burning of the Summer Palace.

Modern Parallels: The Fentanyl Crisis

Today, we see a modern parallel with the fentanyl crisis. Chemicals sold wholesale to Mexican cartels by China are used to produce fentanyl and carfentanyl, which are then smuggled across the American border through commercial checkpoints. The result has been catastrophic.

From 1999 to 2018, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) documented 769,935 deaths from drug overdoses. Initially, these deaths were categorised as being due to prescription medications or heroin, a classification error that contributed to a significant misunderstanding of the crisis.

The Creation of Panics

The article draws comparisons between the current opioid panic and past moral panics, such as the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. During the Satanic Panic, local, state, and federal governments spent substantial resources on preventative programs for a problem that did not exist. Over 200 Americans were wrongfully convicted during this time, with numerous unsubstantiated complaints adding to the hysteria.

Misclassification of Overdose Deaths

The opioid panic involved categorising heroin and fentanyl deaths as prescription overdose deaths. This led to a false impression that American physicians were responsible for the crisis through overprescribing. However, overdose deaths among drug users who have access to a known drug and concentration are rare. For instance, three times more people die each year from NSAIDs than from heroin, because most drug addicts do not want to die and take precautions to avoid overdoses.

Preventative Measures

One of the most critical times for overdose is after an addict is released from jail. During incarceration, their pain receptors and Cytochrome P450 enzymes reset, making their usual dose potentially lethal upon resumption. To prevent this, it is essential to have buprenorphine or methadone and addiction counselling available in all jails so that these interventions can start immediately after incarceration.

Source: KevinMD

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