Staff Reports
The fentanyl crisis surged under President Joe Biden’s watch, and the numbers are staggering. A recent report from Fox News reveals just how dramatically the crisis has escalated, with the Council of Economic Advisers estimating that the crisis cost America a jaw-dropping $2.7 trillion in 2023 alone, thanks to the administration’s lax border policies and ineffective drug enforcement strategies.
To generate this harrowing figure, the Council of Economic Advisers relied on a 2017 CDC report, applying some math that would probably give most high school students a run for their money. The study took into account not just the grim tally of opioid-related deaths, which reached over 74,000 last year, but also the economic fallout—essentially calculating that each life lost comes with a price tag that includes lost productivity and increased health care costs.
• Fentanyl drug overdoses almost doubled under Trump; From 28.4K to 56.5K.
• From August 2023 to August 2024 drug overdoses dropped by 22.2%
• Under Biden, 28 times more Fentanyl pills were seized than under Trump.
10,000 Troops won’t stop fentanyl going thru POEs. pic.twitter.com/Q6q6rUxDqO
— Hispanic Citizen 🥑 (@US_Latino) February 4, 2025
So, while families are mourning their loved ones who fell victim to this crisis, the economy takes a massive hit as well. The calculated loss of life alone accounted for $1.11 trillion, highlighting the heavy toll that drug addiction and overdose deaths inflict on American society. The researchers also factored in the decline in quality of life for those entangled in opioid addiction, thus amplifying the economic hijacking underway.
This dire situation has left many folks wondering how long the Biden administration will continue to ignore the elephant in the room, or in this case, the truckload of fentanyl crossing the border. Under Trump’s leadership, there was a concerted effort to combat this issue through stricter border policies, which appear to have fallen by the wayside. The current administration seems more interested in rolling out the welcome mat for drugs than taking the necessary measures to stem the tide of addiction and crime tied to these substances.
President Trump has proposed tariffs on goods coming from Mexico, Canada, and China specifically to address the ongoing influx of fentanyl. His approach marks a stark contrast to current policies, aiming not just to deter illegal substances but also to re-engage neighboring countries in taking responsibility for what crosses their borders. With Mexico now contributing more to border security by sending 10,000 troops, one can’t help but wonder how much different things might have been had the Biden administration prioritized tackling this crisis instead of ignoring it. This isn’t just a political issue; it’s a humanitarian disaster that has found its way into too many American homes.
