Fentanyl Is Dangerous, But It Is No Weapon of Mass Destruction

On December 15, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Designating Fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction.” The order declares that “Illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic. Two milligrams, an almost undetectable trace amount equivalent to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, constitutes a lethal dose.” If it was not already clear and despite many think pieces and obituaries to it, the US government continues its failed War on Drugs.

This designation of fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction has been nearly a decade in the making across multiple presidential administrations and with bipartisan support and media complicity. The people of the US have been groomed for this moment since 2015. On March 18, 2015, the Obama administration’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a nationwide alert that “fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin and accidental inhalation of airborne powder can also occur.” The DEA doubled down on this threat over a year later, when, on June 10, 2016, they released a roll call video and press release reiterating that “Fentanyl Exposure Kills.” The press release notes that “A very small amount ingested, or absorbed through your skin, can kill you.”