China has prohibited all fentanyl substances for non-medical use in a move long sought by the US, as the two sides seek common ground in the on-going trade dispute, said the Financial Times.
Abuse of fentanyl and similar drugs has spread in the US, as people addicted to prescription opioids turned to illicit drugs. Addressing the manufacturing of drugs in China was set as a top priority for Donald Trump’s administration during his presidential campaign.
In December, Trump hailed a promise by Chinese president Xi Jinping to act against the production of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, responsible for the fatal overdoses of 49,000 people across the US in 2017 alone.
In the past month, US officials in China have made progress in restricting the flow of fentanyl as a sign of progress in trade talks between the two nations.
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