Fentanyl

The Mexican cartel receives raw materials from China to produce fentynal. They cook the material in an open pot out side. They have to be careful if the wind changes because the vapors are deadly. These cookers believe that if they drink beer it will protect them from the poison. Many in the area are self taught chemist working a low tech multi million dollar business. The process involves mixing and cooking three complex organic precursor chemicals. Chemist understand that when synthesizing, temperature control is essential but cooking over an open pot disregards this warning. The result is unwanted side products contaminate the mix. Each batch may have different side products. The government is so disconnected from this problem that the FDA is doing the following: Designation of Benzylfentanyl and 4-Anilinopiperidine, Precursor Chemicals Used in the Illicit Manufacture of Fentanyl, as List I Chemicals It is highly unlikely that this change in the law will have any effect on the Mexican cookers. No one knows how many are killed by the fentanyl or the contaminants. This is difficult to comprehend. Those who have watched the TV series Breaking Bad understand the difference between a trained chemist synthesizing and someone on the street.