Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., is urging the Biden administration to designate fentanyl as a biological and chemical weapon and to impose sanctions on China for its involvement in exacerbating the U.S. drug crisis. Banks emphasized that the Chinese Communist Party has the capability to halt the flow of fentanyl to the U.S. and Mexican drug cartels but chooses not to, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Americans annually.
Banks has introduced a bill to amend the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, which mandates the president to enforce sanctions on foreign entities that knowingly contribute to another country's possession or use of chemical and biological weapons.
The House select committee on China, which Banks is a part of, recently released a report accusing China of worsening the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. The report revealed that China's government incentivized companies producing fentanyl precursors and synthetic drugs for export, despite knowing the impact on the U.S.
Despite discussions between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, China continued to provide subsidies for these substances, with the committee noting an increase in subsidies during talks with U.S. officials in 2019 and 2020.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose deaths in the U.S. quadrupled from 2002 to 2022, with the highest mortality rates observed among adults aged 35-44 in recent years.
Fentanyl, often mixed with other illicit drugs, has been a significant concern for U.S. authorities, particularly at the U.S.-Mexico border. Nate Moellering, an executive vice president at an addiction treatment center and a fentanyl survivor, attributed the crisis to China's government, calling for sanctions as a crucial step in addressing the issue.
Moellering emphasized that combatting the fentanyl crisis should not be a partisan issue, highlighting the urgent need for action to prevent further loss of lives due to the proliferation of this deadly opioid.
