this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2024
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Wikipedia has an overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fentanyl#Synthesis
It's not new. It was developed decades ago as a medical opiate by a renowned scientist. New, easier methods of synthesis have come around since, and abuse is exacerbated by the general opioid crisis in the USA, thanks essentially to the Sackler family.
From what I got reading The Least of Us the chemicals involved in the Gupta method are used in industry and essentially impossible to ban. There was some sort of breakthrough a few years ago that made this (relatively easy) method the standard way street fentanyl is made, although I don't remember the details. Also until fairly recently it was straight-up legal to export fentanyl from China and from there import it into Mexico or have it drop shipped to basically anyone in the USA. Direct import into the USA was illegal but easy to do.
And also specifically by the war on drugs
Totally not going to mark this as read because still reading your links. Thank you so much...no sarcasm.
You're welcome, that book is actually the second in a series, the first being "Dreamland". They were both great reads (and popular enough that I had no problem getting them at the library).
Not going to make the shit but it is a nice argument point to have against people who say its all imported to ruin our country. I deal with it daily but never new someone could make it at home.
It's been awhile since I read the book (maybe I should re-read) but from what I remember, while domestic production is possible (and probably still happens to a small degree), it mostly dried up because it's soooo easy to import it to Mexico and truck it up. Or, in the case of the OP link, import the precursors, put it together in Mexico, and truck it up. Like, as a drug trafficker, you'd be a fool not to from a risk and financial perspective. It's literally not illegal in China.
Whether this is an "opium war" is another question. We never would have had an opiate crisis in the first place if not for the Sackler's aggressively pushing prescription opiates. Or if we had, you know, the social will and character to actually treat chronic pain and drug addiction.
So your telling me I can't go down to my local walmart buy supplies or whatever in my garage and make 3mil?
Heh, you can buy it online, no need to even leave the house!
One of the reasons so many people are dying from it is American dealers buy it raw and then cut their products with it using the Magic Bullet Blender. But it turns out blenders are really bad at mixing dry powders, contrary to the old wives' tales that drug dealers tell each other. So you get one pill with nothing and another pill with a fatal dose.
That has got to be the most fucked up things I have read today ....no sarcasm.