Editor’s note: This report is the first in a three-part series that examines the role of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the ongoing fentanyl crisis in the United States. The first report traces the history of the opioid crisis, describes the global supply chain, and summarizes its profound impact on US public health and, consequently, national security. The second report will identify the PRC’s role as a major enabler of the crisis by deliberately facilitating illicit product sourcing for the fentanyl trade. Finally, the third report will draw parallels between the PRC’s actions and asymmetric warfare, arguing that the United States must take a more concerted, whole-of-government approach to addressing the crisis that recognizes the PRC’s role in perpetuating it.
The history of the fentanyl crisis provides essential context for the current epidemic, helps identify root causes, and informs effective policy development. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid developed as an intravenous anesthetic in the 1960s, quickly became popular for its powerful pain relief properties. By the 1970s, fentanyl had found its way into the illicit US drug market in laced heroin known as “China White,” foreshadowing China’s future role in the fentanyl trade. By the end of 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration had intercepted over eighty million counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and nearly twelve thousand pounds of fentanyl powder, representing more than 390 million potentially lethal doses.
Nicholas Dockery is a White House Fellow, Special Forces officer, United States Military Academy graduate, and Wayne Downing scholar. Dockery holds a master of public policy from Yale’s Jackson School of Global Affairs and previously served as a research fellow at the Modern War Institute.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.
Image credit: Jerry Glaser, CBP