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The Mafia may be keeping fentanyl out of Italy

204 points · 269 comments · runeks

  1. qoez · · focus · HN ↗
    I always assumed this was an america-only drug that no one actually does or at least not to the excess that it's claimed by the publications using it for the normal fear journalism purposes.
    1. criley2 · · focus · HN ↗
      No one "does" fentanyl, it's a highly addictive additive that is secretly added to other things. Even so, 50,000 - 70,000 Americans per year die to it (more than suicide and gun violence many other things).

      This is an "American" thing because fent primarily comes from Mexican cartels (Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation).

      They buy precursors from China, they produce it in labs in Mexico, and then smuggle it into America where they kill 50,000 to 70,000 Americans per year.

      Not getting political here -- but what would you think if organized crime in a neighboring country was murdering 50,000 to 70,000 of your countrymen per year?

      1. ulimn · · focus · HN ↗
        But who buys these drugs with fentanyl and why? There might a link I'm missing, sorry! :)
        1. criley2 · · focus · HN ↗
          Tiny bits of fentanyl are added to a variety of recreational drugs used extensively by all kinds of people, rich and poor. They add it to cocaine, heroin, meth and even marijuana. They imitate oxy, percocet, vicodin, xanax and adderal using fent laced pills as well.

          As much as 20% of Americans use these recreational drugs. Europeans on average use recreational drugs like half as much as Americans, maybe 10% use them.

          1. airstrike · · focus · HN ↗
            Yeah but there's always the alternative of not doing coke, heroin, meth or even marijuana.
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