Mexico, US to Limit Fentanyl Access; Viral Trend Affects Teens

Mexico and the US seek to implement common initiatives to decrease the availability of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in both countries, said the Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard on twitter. Ebrard said that he spoke with Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, to develop initiatives and actions that prevent the use of fentanyl in both Mexico and the US.

“I had a broad and cordial conversation with Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the US, to discuss our bicentennial understanding and common actions to reduce the availability of fentanyl in our countries,” writes Ebrard.

The fentanyl crisis represents one of the most critical healthcare issues for both Mexico and the US, and has been a key discussion topic in the latest meetings between both countries. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl was created as a pharmaceutical and is used to treat pain.

According to Jesús Ramírez, Mexico’s Presidential Spokesman, the US is experiencing a serious health crisis as a result of rising fentanyl use, which is also putting the health of Mexican citizens in jeopardy. Ramírez warns that it is possible to overdose on fentanyl when taking it for the first time and urges citizens to pay attention to the government's anti-drug campaigns, as reported by MBN.
 

COFEPRIS Issues Alert for Viral Challenge Involving Dangerous Unsupervised Ingestion of Sleep Medications
Mexico's Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) warned young people about the dangers of taking sleep medications like clonazepam, following a viral social media challenge.

"Inappropriate, medically unsupervised and irresponsible consumption of drugs with anxiolytic properties such as clonazepam, has side effects ranging from drowsiness, dizziness and nausea to loss of balance, coordination problems, headache, muscle or joint pain," said the organization.

COFEPRIS highlights that this is a controlled substance that should be taken under a doctor’s supervision to prevent significant health risks. The organization encourages kids and teenagers to refrain from spreading and taking part in challenges that endanger their lives. "Therefore, COFEPRIS urges parents, guardians, caregivers and teachers to provide guidance on the serious health risks associated with the use and consumption of controlled substances. Likewise, it invites children and adolescents to avoid spreading and participating in challenges that put their lives at risk," says COFEPRIS.