The Deadly Math: Fentanyl Seizures Along the US-Mexico Border Could Wipe Out 6 Billion Lives

Back in 1982, my first published piece featured an interview with Bill Perry, who caused a stir by leaving his prestigious PR role at Lawrence-Livermore Labs, a center for nuclear weapon design.

During our talk, Bill shared a telling story. A Lab physicist approached him, distressed about insufficient funding. Bill's response was blunt: "Why? We aready have enough bombs to wipe out the planet multiple times."

The physicist clarified, "You misunderstand. I'm working on MATHEMATICAL problems."

Let's shift gears to a global mathematical issue affecting us all:

 

Fentanyl, an incredibly deadly drug, poses a grave threat. A mere two milligrams of this substance can be lethal. Let's break it down:

According to Insightcrime.org's November 21, 2023 report, seizures of fentanyl along the US-Mexico border hit record highs in 2023. Despite alleged bans in some Mexican areas, criminal groups persist in producing this lethal synthetic opioid.

In the fiscal year 2023, US Customs and Border Protection seized a shocking 12,119 kilograms (26,718 pounds) of illicit fentanyl along the southwest border with Mexico. This marks a staggering 90% increase from the prior year's seizure of 6,397 kilograms (14,104 pounds).

Rounding the 2023 total seizure to 12,000 kilograms for simplicity's sake:

 

This figure equals a whopping 12 billion milligrams (considering a million milligrams in a kilogram). With a lethal dose at 2 milligrams, the seized fentanyl could end the lives of 6 billion people.

It's crucial to note: this is just the fentanyl intercepted in one year along the southern border.

When factoring in the seized fentanyl from the previous year, 2022, it becomes apparent that the quantity exceeds what's needed to wipe out the entire global population. Moreover, the quantity of fentanyl that has entered the US undetected remains uncertain.

Law enforcement estimates suggest that for every amount seized, a larger quantity might have slipped through unnoticed.

6 billion potential deaths. A staggering toll.

Is this registering as a problem? An urgent crisis? A pressing reason for the federal government to take immediate action?

 

Should there be a substantial response, like deploying 50,000 troops to secure the border? Or does the current federal administration's focus on the "humanitarian flow" of immigrants take precedence?

Such a stance could range from unaware to outright disastrous. It might even be seen as genocidal.

Many tend to shy away from acknowledging something so shocking, dismissing it due to its enormity. But this attitude leads us nowhere.

Is the gravity of this situation sinking in yet?

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