China to curb all types of fentanyl, following US demands

04/02/2019

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BBC News

China says it will crack down on all types of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, following a plea from the US.

All fentanyl-related substances will be added to China’s list of controlled narcotic drugs from 1 May, officials said.

It follows a pledge Beijing made during US-China trade talks in December.

The powerful painkiller, much of it believed to be made in China, is said to be driving a huge rise in drug addiction in the US.

The number of deaths from painkillers such as fentanyl led to President Donald Trump declaring a national emergency in 2017.

China’s production of the drug has long been a source of tension between the two countries.

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