Though the panic surrounding the fentanyl crisis has died down, the detriments of the drug epidemic continue to run deep into many lives.

Public address of the crisis has definitely educated American youth in avoidance and restraint; consequently, the desperation for sellers to find a way to market their notorious drugs has weasled its way into the pharmeceutical environment. Cheap, generic medication found on third-party online marketplaces are delivered discreetly and quickly, typically within just days of ordering. Additionally, these “inexpensive, alternative” drugs have been traced with minor amounts of opiates and other hard drugs that are more than enough to kill the unsuspecting consumer.

While the “safe” way to purchase alternative medication is already tragic enough, teenagers seeking hard drug doses just below fentanyl strength still put themselves in dubious positions, not knowing whether these counterfeit drugs will help them get their next high or put them in a hospital bed.

In just the last year, over a hundred-thousand fatalities have been traced back to fentanyl casualties. Kade Webb, an unfortunate victim, was a 20-year-old soon-to-be-parent who tried coping with the pandemic through the help of some prescription opioids. The percocet he purchased was contaminated with fentanyl, causing him to overdose and lead to his unforeseen death. The main source and encouragement for his fentanyl purchase routed back to social media where an alleged 90% of transactions are promoted or even facilitated.

Instead of trying to solve the lack of legal restraints or platform monitoring, corporations and lawmakers are pushing blame on opposing parties and lowly dealers in order to avoid facing the brunt of responsibilities. The flow from America’s Southern Border, transport from China, and trade from Mexico all go under the nose of poorly regulated border control, allowing heroin and counterfeit pills to flood in. Northeastern America and Alaska see the peak of the fentanyl crisis and drug cycling; the Alaska High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) seized a whopping 1,224 grams of fentanyl (an amount that could kill 622,000 Alaskans) within just a month of operating. And yes – the main issue is definitely putting a stop to drug production and distribution; however, the factor that could avoid worsening the matter at hand is proper legal action and hands-on government intervention.

The divided attention the drug epidemic is receiving will only prolong the crisis with no permanent solution. Congress took four years to only implement harsher search and treatment for fentanyl trade and consumption. Despite Biden’s suggestion to devote more effort and attention to the fentanyl crisis, there has been too much congressional inertia, precluding any action to take place since the last two years anything has been proposed.