For more than a decade, the United States has faced a relentless and heartbreaking increase in fatal drug overdoses driven by synthetic opioids. A new analysis suggests this trend has suddenly reversed due to a major disruption in the global supply chain of illicit fentanyl. Published in Science, the study indicates that regulatory actions taken by the Chinese government, following high-level diplomatic engagement with the Biden administration, may be the primary driver behind this unexpected decline in mortality.
I lost a very close friend to fentanyl in 2025. They even had narcan at home when it happened, but by the time their partner found them it was just moments too late.
I’m still not over it and probably never will be, the anger and grief is just so strong. Their death was so preventable. But they decided to take the risk and buy some shit from the dark web and not test it first, and they decided to hide it from their partner and friends.
I wish we lived in a world where drugs were decriminalized and destigmatized, maybe my friend would have felt more comfortable giving their partner a heads up before trying some sketchy dark web product. Unfortunately, there is just nothing that truly helps severe chronic pain, and our medical system sucks.
Anyways y’all, please be safe out there if you’re inclined to try anything off the street. Get ahold of some test kits and narcan, and please have someone you trust supervise. Fent has been put into so many things – including coke, Adderall, Xanax – nothing is “safe” anymore (not saying drugs were safe before, but the risks are so much higher than they used to be ~15 years ago)