President Donald Trump has quietly signed a classified directive instructing the Pentagon to deploy US military force against certain Latin American drug cartels, which his administration has designated as terrorist organizations, according to The New York Times. The move marks a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the US.
So far, it remains unclear how the Department of Defense, State Department, or White House legal counsel has responded to the order or how it might be implemented. The report underscores the unprecedented nature of the move, describing it as the most aggressive action to date in the administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.
The opioid crisis in the United States is currently claiming the lives of more than 50,000 people a year, a truly shocking death toll largely fueled by fentanyl. The drug, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is many times more powerful than heroin. When administered properly under strict medical supervision, it's a legitimate and effective painkiller, but fentanyl misuse is causing the deaths of around 150 people every day across the country. Sadly, many of these victims are teenagers.
So, why is fentanyl so harmful, and what's being done to save lives? Click through and find out more about the opioid that's killing America.