Fentanyl: A Drug or a Weapon?
December 15, 2025 — In a bold move, the U.S. President has labeled fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. This decision aims to tackle the drug's impact on national security and crime. The president compared the deaths caused by fentanyl to those in major wars, stating that hundreds of thousands die each year.
The Facts Tell a Different Story
The CDC reports that fentanyl was linked to around 48,000 deaths in the U.S. last year, a significant drop from the previous year. Experts argue that fentanyl does not fit the definition of a weapon of mass destruction. Only one incident, in 2002, involved fentanyl being used as such a weapon, when Russia deployed it in gas form.
Addiction, Not Weaponization, Drives Deaths
Doctors and researchers point out that addiction, not deliberate weaponization, drives fentanyl deaths. Dr. Jeffrey Singer, a drug policy expert, questioned the logic of equating drug trafficking to an act of war.
A More Aggressive Drug Strategy
The executive order is part of a broader, more aggressive drug strategy, which includes:
- Military strikes on suspected drug boats
- Reclassifying some cartels as terrorist groups
Military Strikes Raise Concerns
So far this year, the U.S. military has conducted at least 26 attacks on suspected drug-running boats, resulting in at least 99 deaths. The president claims these strikes save lives, but experts disagree.
Vanda Felbab-Brown, a drug trafficking expert, noted that:
- Killing drug mules has minimal impact on the drug flow or criminal organizations.
- Fentanyl is not typically smuggled by boat, making the strikes ineffective against it.
A Controversial National Security Strategy
Despite the decline in overdose deaths since 2023, the administration's new national security strategy calls for using lethal force against what it labels "narco-terrorists."
- Some conservative policy groups support this move.
- Others criticize the lack of consistent policy focus.
The president's past pardons of traffickers and gang leaders have also raised eyebrows.
