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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on countries worldwide to join forces in tackling the growing issue of synthetic drug trafficking, notably fentanyl, which has become a leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States.

Speaking at the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) annual meeting, Blinken highlighted the alarming trend of synthetic drug overdoses, especially among Americans between the ages of 18 to 45. He said, “More than 40% of the American people know someone who has died from an opioid overdose. Synthetic drugs are now the number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 45. In every region, use, dependence, overdose deaths by synthetic drugs are rising rapidly.”

Blinken added, “My message to this gathering is urgent. If we want to change the trajectory of this crisis, there is only one way to succeed, and that’s together.” Secretary Blinken also revealed that US action on Fentanyl has not led to an increase in deaths. He said, “We have recent data that suggests that for the first time in years, the number of Americans who died of overdoses did not increase significantly.”

The CND, convening in Vienna, is contemplating the addition of two fentanyl precursors to the schedules to enforce stringent controls on their trade, a move supported by the United States. However, it faces multiple challenges due to the wide range of groups producing and trafficking fentanyl.