THE MOTHER OF A WOMAN WHO LOST HER life to fentanyl believes that the United States is under chemical attack, as she and other families of victims call for sanctions on China over its role in the crisis.
Andrea Thomas, whose daughter Ashley Romero died in 2018 from an accidental overdose of the synthetic opioid, is asking the U.S. Trade Representative, or USTR, to investigate China's role in the manufacturing of the illicit substance.
The group she helped start, Facing Fentanyl, and its lawyers allege inaction by the Chinese government to stop the manufacture of the drug has cost the U.S. trillions of dollars, as well as thousands of lives each year.
A spokesperson Embassy in the U.S. told Newsweek that the country had the "strongest determination, the most relentless policy and one of the best records in the world" on counternarcotics, including fighting the production of precursor chemicals.
"I know what my family has experienced, I don't have to do this," Thomas told Newsweek. "I can go back to my house, enjoy my grandchildren, the life that we've missed fighting this.
"There is nothing we can do to bring her back. Nothing. This is so horrific that we cannot risk another family experiencing this and that's why we do it."
Thousands of American Families Affected According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, synthetic opioids like fentanyl account for 70 percent of overdose deaths in the U.S., and that number is rising. In 2022, the number of these overdoses-approximately 74,000-was nearly 25 times higher than in 2010. Among the most bedeviling problems with fentanyl is that a fatal dose is tiny and can be secreted inside other pills. It is not something a person can see, taste or smell. Not everyone affected is struggling with substance abuse, with children among those who have died after accidentally ingesting the drug.
This story is from the November 15, 2024 edition of Newsweek US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 15, 2024 edition of Newsweek US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
John David Washington
FOR JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, BRINGING NETFLIX'S THE PIANO LESSON (November 22) from stage to screen was a family affair.
A Walk in the Parks
Jim O'Heir shares his memories of the hit NBC mockumentary and its cast's hopes of a reunion
Philomena Cunk
PHILOMENA CUNK IS JUST AS SURPRISED AS anyone else at her own popularity.
SOLVING THE PLASTIC PROBLEM
PLASTIC WASTE IS HARMING ANIMALS AND OUR PLANET. CAN THE DAMAGE BE UNDONE?
'I Was Struck by How Humbled and Insignificant I Felt'
An explorer says coming face-to-face in the wild with a grizzly and her cubs changed his perspective on life
Has AI Turned On Health Care?
Hospitals hoped artificial intelligence would lighten their staff's workload, but the same tech could be to blame as insurance firms increasingly deny Medicare Advantage claims
The Next Phase of War
After thousands of elite soldiers from North Korea joined Vladimir Putin’s forces against Ukraine, how has this latest move affected the conflict?
Saying No to Trump and Men
The election has led some women to boycott relationships and sex
My Fight for Equality and Justice
It will take more than just science to end AIDS. Inclusion, empathy and compassion are essential, too
NEW WORLD ORDER
HOW LEADERS ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE REACTING TO DONALD TRUMP'S REELECTION AS U.S. PRESIDENT