Fentanyl Research Report

This report comprises three sections that examine the role of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the ongoing fentanyl crisis in the United States. Drawing on diverse fields of policy, pharmacology, geopolitical analysis, public health studies, and traditional political theories of warfare, these sections present the case that the PRC deliberately contributes to or enables the international fentanyl trade into the United States as part of a long-term strategy to undermine American society and national security. The case is presented as follows. The first section traces the history of the opioid crisis, describes the global supply chain, and summarizes its profound impact on US public health and, consequently, national security. The second section identifies the PRC’s role as a major enabler of the crisis by deliberately facilitating illicit product sourcing for the fentanyl trade. Finally, the third section draws parallels between the PRC’s actions and asymmetric warfare, arguing that the United States must take a more concerted, whole-of-government approach to addressing the crisis that recognizes the PRC’s role in perpetuating it.