President Trump signed an executive order designating illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, instructing the Pentagon and Justice Department to enhance measures against its production and distribution. This classification allows for military assistance in enforcing laws against fentanyl, which is linked to approximately 200,000 to 300,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The order aims to combat drug cartels, primarily in South America, contributing to the fentanyl crisis. Fentanyl overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45, with nearly 70% of overdose deaths in 2023 attributed to opioids like fentanyl.
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