Fentanyl Explained: Why It’s Now a Weapon of Mass Destruction

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has become a central driver of the overdose crisis in the United States due to its extreme potency and widespread illegal distribution.

Medically, fentanyl is approved for treating severe pain under strict supervision, such as in post-surgical or cancer care. However, the majority of fentanyl linked to overdose deaths is illegally manufactured and distributed outside regulated medical systems.

Health authorities warn that fentanyl is significantly stronger than heroin or morphine, with as little as two milligrams capable of causing a fatal overdose. The drug is frequently mixed into counterfeit prescription pills or combined with substances such as heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine, often without users knowing.

Because fentanyl cannot be detected by sight, smell, or taste, accidental exposure remains a major risk.

Recently, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating illicit fentanyl and its core precursor chemicals as Weapons of Mass Destruction. The order argues that fentanyl’s chemical properties, extreme lethality, and ability to cause mass harm in trace amounts place it within the conceptual framework of chemical weapons. It also links fentanyl trafficking to organised crime networks and transnational supply chains.

The designation allows federal authorities to apply legal tools typically used for chemical weapons and terrorism cases, including expanded investigations, financial sanctions, asset seizures, and cross-agency coordination.