Nearly 110,000 people died from drugs in the United States last year.

US Secretary of State Blinken spoke at the “Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats” meeting held via video conference.

At the meeting, which was attended by representatives of regional and international organizations, as well as senior government officials from nearly 80 countries, Blinken emphasized that synthetic drugs are the leading cause of death for the population aged 18 to 49 in the United States. .

“It is worth dwelling on this fact; The leading cause of death among Americans ages 18-49 is synthetic drugs, especially fentanyl. Nearly 110,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, and two-thirds of those deaths involved synthetic opioids. saying.

“THE DRUG COSTS THE US ABOUT 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS”

Emphasizing that drugs cause economic harm as well as their effects on individuals, families, and society, Blinken stressed that according to the Congressional report, drugs cause a huge economic cost of approximately $1.5 trillion in the United States. .only in 2020.

Blinken noted that there is an alarming increase in the use of synthetic drugs in all regions, noting that not only in the United States, but also worldwide, according to United Nations (UN) records, more than 34 million of people use methamphetamine or other synthetic drugs. stimulants every year.

Expressing that criminal organizations that smuggle synthetic drugs are extremely adept at exploiting weak links in the global system, Blinken said: “When one country closes one passage, they quickly move on to another. This is a problem that no country can solve alone, which is why we are forming this global coalition.” he said.

Expressing that panels and working groups made up of experts will be formed within the framework of the coalition, Blinken shared the information that they plan to organize a face-to-face meeting with the coalition parties during the High Level Week of the General Assembly of the UN in September. (AA)