WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bipartisan report from a congressional commission says the primary driver of the opioid epidemic today is illicit fentanyl, which is a synthetic opioid that’s up to 50 times more potent than heroin.
The report from the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking was released early Tuesday morning.
It found that Mexico is the principal source of fentanyl in the U.S. with smuggling across the southwestern U.S. border being the primary path of transport.
Still, the report noted an increase in the use of America’s domestic mail system to move fentanyl within the country.
The commission made several recommendations for the U.S. to combat the flow of synthetic opioids by increasing public awareness, disrupting drug supply and reducing demand by expanding access to treatments.
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