White House Designates Illicit Fentanyl as a WMD

United States (US) President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designating illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals as weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

The order states: “Illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic,” and adds that, “Two milligrams, an almost undetectable trace amount equivalent to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, constitutes a lethal dose.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used legally as a prescription pain medicine, but it is also produced and sold illegally. The US National Institute on Drug Abuse says illegally made fentanyl is “a main driver of the overdose and addiction crisis in the United States”.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an estimated 80 391 drug overdose deaths in 2024, down from an estimated 110 037 in 2023, with overdose deaths linked to opioids estimated at 54 743 in 2024, down from 83 140 in 2023.

The White House order directs several immediate steps. It directs the attorney-general to pursue investigations and prosecutions in fentanyl trafficking cases, including using “sentencing enhancements” and “sentencing variances”, which are tools prosecutors use to seek tougher penalties.

It then shifts to money and cross-border pressure, directing the secretaries of state and the treasury to pursue action against “assets and financial institutions” linked to the manufacture, distribution, and sale of illicit fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.

The order also links the fentanyl response to national security planning. It instructs the secretary of war and the attorney-general to consider whether Department of War resources should aid Justice Department enforcement in this area.