Fentanyl’s Future Relies on China Trade Talks

WASHINGTON — Ongoing trade talks between the United States and China could directly impact how easily the deadliest drug in America gets onto U.S. soil.

• CDC: Fentanyl responsible for almost 30 percent of 2016 overdose deaths
• Pres. Trump: Chinese President Xi promised to criminalize Fentanyl sales to the U.S.
• 90-day trade ceasefire 

President Trump has been in trade talks — and a trade war — with Chinese President Xi Jinping for months.

Buried within the talks is the deadly drug fentanyl, which has turned communities in Ohio and across the country upside down. A lot of fentanyl comes from China, so the talks could directly impact how easy the drug gets into the U.S. 

“I hope the president will take a hard line on fentanyl and keep it in the negotiation…and I believe he will,” said Representative Steve Stivers (OH-15).

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now calls fentanyl the deadliest drug in the U.S.— responsible for almost 30-percent of overdose deaths in 2016.

But progress seemed to be made after Trump and Xi met in Argentina earlier this month.

Trump tweeted, among other things, that Xi promised ‘to criminalize the sale of deadly Fentanyl coming into the United States’ and that China would make it a ‘controlled substance.’

 “We really want to make sure that the Chinese do their part to prevent this from leaving their country,” said Rep. Bob Latta (OH-05).

But Trump’s tweet could be jeopardized as trade talks continue. We’re in the midst of a 90-day ceasefire right now where tariffs between the U.S. and China have stopped, but it’s not yet clear if Trump can convince China to keep its promise on fentanyl — while staying tough on trade.

“I’m not concerned that [Trump’s] going to overlook it or that it’s going to fall off, but it’s more than just the president,” said Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-06).

Johnson said the federal government has to do more to track fentanyl so it doesn’t come in through the border or the mail.

And though they may not agree on how to fix things, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said he’s also worried we’re not doing enough to keep the drug out.

“The INTERDICT Act that I helped write — that the president signed — helps,” Brown said. “The Power Act, that I’ve been working on with the Fraternal Order of Police and others — to give police officers in the internal part of the country, not at the borders, in the rest of the country — giving them more tools would matter too, and I think that’s the direction we go.”

What outcome Trump will reach with China is unclear right now, but Ohio lawmakers from both sides agree fentanyl needs to be taken care of.

“The very notion that people can go online and get fentanyl from China shipped to them, and it gets through, is a problem,” said Rep. Brad Wenstrup (OH-02).

Xi delivered a major speech on Tuesday morning where he said ‘no one is in a position to dictate to the Chinese people what should or should not be done.’ He did not specifically mention the trade talks with the U.S.