Amid the ongoing opioid crisis, fentanyl has emerged as one of the most lethal and pervasive threats, claiming thousands of lives each year and reshaping the landscape of addiction and overdose in America. I have heard that fentanyl pills are coming into the US; they are being flown in through China to labs in Mexico, which means that the powder and the drugs are being smuggled into the US. Fentanyl coming into the US has ended many lives. In 2022, the rate of overdose to fentanyl was 6,435.

That is a lot of lives taken due to this drug. The latest overdose deaths were in September 2024, and that was 10,286 lives taken. President Trump is saying the tariffs will be stopping fentanyl; the fentanyl deaths have dropped a decent amount. Trump was talking with the Mexican president in terms of the border and illegal aliens and fentanyl coming into the US. Fentanyl is a serious substance that can cause one to stop breathing, throw up blood, have a seizure, etc.

These are severe side effects that one little peck of the powder can do to a person. I interviewed Mr. Noonan, and this is his opinion on it. “For students, I think one of the main things that needs to be addressed is not taking substances from other people because there is no way to tell what it contains.”

I also think it is extremely important for schools to be involved with educating parents as well as having conversations about what warning signs to look for.” In conclusion, it’s important to be cautious in your surroundings because you never know what people are doing around you.