The word “superfood” can be misleading, as people think it must be some special ingredient that’s expensive and hard to obtain.
But it’s purely marketing – the term was apparently coined by an American company for its marketing campaign.
The focus is just on certain food groups that are more nutritious than others.
For instance, a bunch of bananas will definitely have more health benefits than, say, a slice of bread.
A healthy diet should be based on a mix of different food groups with a variety of nutrients, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be only superfoods.
Here are seven everyday items which fall under the superfood category:
1 Eggs
Eggs have gotten a bad rep because at one stage, some people believed they were bad for our cholesterol.
However, studies have shown that eggs actually raise HDL (“good” cholesterol) and change the LDL (“bad” cholesterol) profile so that the body can better absorb it.
They provide an amazing number of nutrients such as vitamins A, B12, B2, B5, E, and selenium, and minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese and folate, which are all contained in the yolk.
The white provides high-quality protein. Egg also has choline, important for brain development, and lutein that protects the eyes.
2 Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is creamier and thicker than regular yogurt as the extra whey has been strained out.
Rich in calcium and protein, it can improve bone health, reduce hunger pangs, improve gut health, build muscle mass and is said to lower blood pressure as well.
3 Ginger
Known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-nausea properties, ginger contains gingerol which has potent antioxidant properties.
It is said to ease digestion issues, relieve pain and boost immunity.
Regular consumption has been shown to lower cholesterol and help control blood sugar.
4 Green tea
Packed with antioxidants, green tea can protect against heart disease.
Health experts say green tea supports bone health, boosts memory, lowers cholesterol and may even reduce the risk of stroke.
Many of us rely on coffee to wake us up during the day and give us that shot of energy, but the caffeine in green tea can help you achieve the same results, without you crashing by the second half of the day.
5 Turmeric
Turmeric, often used in Indian and Malay curries, and sometimes added to tea, contains an antioxidant called curcumin which has anti-inflammatory properties.
Due to the anti-inflammatory compound in curcumin, it has been found effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis as well.
Experts also believe it is a potent antioxidant that can neutralise free radicals, and may be effective in delaying brain diseases and other age-related chronic diseases.
It is being studied too for a potential role in preventing cancer.
6 Garlic
We take it for granted as it is so commonly found in the kitchen, but did you know that garlic has been used as a medicinal ingredient even in ancient times?
A good source of manganese, vitamins B6 and C, as well as selenium, it can boost the immune system and protect against the common cold.
It helps reduce blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels, and this can help in decreasing the risk of heart disease.
Studies have also shown that it is helpful in reducing pain from knee osteoarthritis.
7 Olive Oil
Olive oil is not used in Asian context as often as in Western cooking that uses it as a marinade, dressing or cooking agent.
Not just any oil, but specifically it is extra virgin olive oil that is said to be good for the heart as it’s high in monounsaturated fat and polyphenols.
High in antioxidants, it also decreases inflammation and lowers blood cholesterol.
Olive oil contains vitamin E and experts say it is also good for the immune system as it supports the production of white blood cells that control inflammation.
'CLICK TO ENLARGE'
PETALING JAYA: With the number of dengue cases this year projected to break a new record, health experts say a whole of society approach is what it takes to contain the surge.
They said piecemeal strategies such as fogging or mosquitoes with Wolbachia are not enough to stem an outbreak, and that it is the combination of methods that will save lives.
Time is also of the essence as there are already 59 deaths due to dengue logged this year from January to Sept 9, compared with 56 deaths for the whole of 2022.
There were also 82,485 cases from January to Sept 9, 2023, compared with the 66,102 cases in 2022.
Asia Dengue Voice and Action Group international adviser Prof Dr Tikki Pangestu (pic) said integrated efforts are needed to fight dengue not just by deploying mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, or vaccines.
Countries at the recent 6th Asia Dengue Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, agreed that what is needed is an integrated holistic set of strategies and initiatives that has five key components, he added.
“The first one is straightforward – surveillance. That’s basically tracking and keeping tabs on viruses, on a number of cases, on the number of mosquitoes,” he said in an interview.
“Secondly, the health system must be ready to manage those who actually get sick with dengue and end up in hospital.
“About 90% of people who get dengue do not need to go to hospital. They can maybe go and see a GP (general practitioner), rest at home and that’s fine.”
“But for the serious cases, hospitals need to be ready to manage and take care of them,” said Prof Pangestu, who is a visiting professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
It is only then that vector control measures and vaccines can play a role, he added.
“But the fifth and final one, which is perhaps the most important in terms of a foundational stone behind all the other strategies, is community involvement.
“Community engagement, community buy-in, and community awareness of the dangers of dengue – that is the fifth column.
“It involves community education and community awareness so that in their everyday lives, they make sure that their immediate environment does not encourage mosquito breeding,” said Prof Pangestu.
Another expert, Dr Rahmat Dapari, said the projected outbreak later this year or next year could potentially surpass the historic number of cases in the 2019 outbreak.
Over 130,000 dengue cases were recorded in 2019, beating the previous historic high of 120,836 cases reported for the whole of 2015, said Dr Rahmat of Universiti Putra Malaysia.
But there were fewer deaths in 2019 at 182, compared with 336 in 2015, said the senior medical lecturer and public health medicine specialist.
Dr Rahmat said while various vector control measures have been implemented to reduce disease transmission, including the destruction of mosquito breeding places, fogging, community clean-ups and health education, these methods alone were not sufficient.
Innovations such as Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes and dengue vaccination are promising but there is still a need for communities to do their part, he added.
Wolbachia is a bacterium and a form of biological control that is naturally occurring in 60%-70% of insects, spiders and nematodes.
Selected strains of Wolbachia have been introduced into Aedes aegypti populations to prevent transmission of dengue viruses by the vector.
Currently, the Health Ministry has deployed Wolbachia-carrying Aedes in 28 localities in Malaysia.
“To this end, there needs to be a holistic approach using varied strategies so that dengue can be tackled from every angle.
“This involves collaboration between multiple agencies and different fields of expertise, as well as community engagement and education, together with diverse strategies that address breeding and transmission, and preventive methods,” said Dr Rahmat.
He added that the newly established Dengue Prevention Advocacy Malaysia (DPAM) also plays a crucial role in supporting the government to foster holistic dengue management strategies and reduce resource burdens.
“As a community, we must be well informed of these novel approaches and be more disciplined and proactive in doing our part to support the government in combating dengue.
“By working together, we can make a significant impact and create a safer and healthier environment for all Malaysians,” he said.
Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre director Prof Dr Sazaly Abu Bakar said while the number of dengue cases in 2023 may seem high, it is not even half of the cases during pre-pandemic times such as in 2019.
“There must be a full and total commitment by the government to tackle dengue and not just leave it to the Health Ministry,” he said.
The after-effects of a stroke – whether physical, emotional or psychological – are challenging to navigate.
STROKE, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when there is a blockage of blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures.
Star Graphic: Vecteezy
Stroke survivors have a wide range of long-term healthcare needs.
After the stroke, they often experience a variety of cognitive, psychosocial and physical difficulties.
The most challenging problems post-stroke are usually physical and cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, and fatigue.
Even survivors of a mild stroke struggle to regain full independence due to persistent symptoms.
A stroke survivor’s ability to carry out activities of daily living is likely to still be impaired even a year after they had their stroke.
As survivors work towards recovery, they may experience times when they feel like they have taken two steps forward, only to end up taking one step back.
This is normal and to be expected as rehabilitation gains often occur more slowly as time goes by.
Survivors with communication disorders like aphasia (which is caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls language expression and comprehension), would face even more challenges on top of their physical difficulties.
Maintaining basic communication would be a challenging task, let alone engaging in social networks and meaningful activities to reintegrate into their communities.
Unmet needs
After a stroke, survivors often experience emotional and behavioural changes.
The reason is simple: Stroke impairs our brain’s control over our behaviour and emotions.
You or your loved one may experience feelings of irritability, forgetfulness, carelessness or confusion.
About a third of survivors report depressive symptoms and one in five report anxiety in the first months or years after the stroke.
Many stroke survivors and their caregivers also feel abandoned and marginalised by community health services.
Inadequate post-stroke care can create unmet needs for survivors and their caregivers, which are often associated with poor quality of life for the survivor.
These unmet needs can include:
> Rehabilitation and recovery
Stroke patients often require long-term rehabilitation to regain lost function and mobility.
Many patients require ongoing physical, occupational and speech therapy, but may not have access to these services or the financial resources to cover the costs.
> Mental health support
Stroke patients may experience depression, anxiety and other mental health issues because of the physical and emotional challenges of recovery.
Access to mental health services can be limited, and there may also be stigma associated with seeking mental health care.
> Caregiver support
Caregivers play a critical role in supporting stroke patients, but may themselves experience significant stress and burnout.
They may also lack the training and resources needed to provide effective care.
> Social support
Stroke can be a life-changing event that can result in significant changes to a survivor’s social support network.
They may need help rebuilding their social connections and may benefit from peer support groups.
> Education and information
Many stroke survivors and their families have reported feeling overwhelmed and underinformed about the condition and its treatment.
Therefore, they may benefit from access to educational materials, support groups and resources to help them navigate the recovery process.
> Access to healthcare
Stroke patients may face barriers to accessing healthcare, particularly if they live in rural or remote areas.
They may also face challenges in accessing specialised care, such as neurology and rehabilitation services.
Beyond a year
It is a common belief that a survivor’s physical recovery will plateau a year after the stroke.
In the early stages of rehabilitation after a stroke, you can often recover quickly.
However, after a few months, your progress may slow or stagnate – therapists call this the plateau phase. It is a stage most survivors experience.
But contrary to widespread belief, it doesn’t mean that you can no longer recover any further.
In fact, it is possible to get through the plateau phase and recover even more function.
The goal of rehabilitation is to maintain your function and prevent any deterioration, as well as to better adapt to your longterm limitations.
Maximising physical independence may indeed turn out to be a lifelong task.
The best way to overcome this challenge is to make sure things at home are adapted as necessary to help you get back to your daily life safely.
You may seek advice from a healthcare professional, specifically an occupational therapist, to prescribe customised assistive devices and assistive technology for home modification.
Emotional impact
A stroke is sudden and shocking, and can affect every part of your life, including your emotional well-being.
Every stroke experience is unique, but to most survivors, it feels like a loss of life.
Most survivors come to accept their physical disability, but many remain emotionally vulnerable years after their stroke.
The loss of physical independence may result in a loss of sense of identity, as well as guilt over the burden they are now posing to their family members.
Hence, ongoing psychological support from family, friends and/or healthcare professionals may be needed.
Providing flexible psychological support for stroke survivors can be achieved through a variety of approaches, including:
> Individual therapy
Stroke survivors may benefit from individual therapy sessions with a licensed therapist.
These sessions can be tailored to the person’s specific needs.
> Teletherapy
Teletherapy allows stroke survivors to receive psychological support remotely, via video conferencing or phone calls.
This can be particularly helpful for patients who are unable to travel to the counselling centre, or who live in rural or remote areas.
> Group therapy
In addition to providing therapy in a group, group therapy sessions can give stroke survivors the opportunity to connect with others who have had similar experiences.
This can help survivors realise they are not alone, as well as both receive from and give support to their fellow survivors in the process of undergoing the therapy.
> Peer support
Stroke survivors may benefit from peer support groups, which provide a supportive and empathetic environment for survivors to share their experiences and learn from others who have been through similar challenges.
While group therapy is led by a healthcare professional and aims to bring about a change in mindset or behaviour, peer support groups comprise only of fellow survivors and are meant to help their members cope with their situation.
> Caregiver support
Providing psychological support for caregivers can also benefit stroke survivors, as it can help reduce caregiver stress and improve the quality of care they provide.
This support can be provided through individual or group therapy sessions, or through educational programs designed specifically for caregivers.
> Online resources
There are many online resources available for stroke patients and their caregivers, including educational materials, support groups and forums.
These resources can provide flexible support for patients who may have limited access to in-person services.
It’s important to note that psychological support for stroke survivors should be tailored to the individual’s needs and preferences, and should be provided in a flexible and compassionate manner.
See next Sunday’s Starhealth for managing finances and self-care for stroke survivors.
By Dr Lee Tze Yan, a senior lecturer in molecular medicine at Perdana University. Matthew Teo Yong Chang is an occupational therapist specialising in stroke rehabilitation and senior lecturer at Manipal University College Malaysia. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com. my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and should not be considered as medical advice. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this article. The disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
Officially Huawei became the world’s number one smartphone player after shipping 55.8 million handsets, surpassing Samsung in the second quarter of 2020. — Bloomberg
SMIC'S progress in industry commendable effort despite sanctions
TWO weeks ago, without much fanfare or large-scale promotional event, Huawei Technologies launched a surprise pre-sale of its latest Mate flagship model.
This was out of the blue, considering that Huawei suffered for the past three years since the United States trade sanction during the Donald Trump-led administration which placed Huawei on the export blacklist depriving the phone and network giant from key semiconductor components necessary to manufacture its successful premium smartphone products.
At its peak in 2020, Huawei had 38% of China’s total smartphone market share with Vivo coming in second at 17.7% and Oppo coming in third at 17.4%.
Globally, Huawei had just over 10% with much room to catch up to Samsung and Apple, which had an estimated 30% and 26% respectively.
Despite that, it officially became the world’s number one smartphone player after shipping 55.8 million handsets, surpassing Samsung in the second quarter of 2020.
This did not last long, as in the year after the trade sanctions kicked in, Huawei suffered immensely when its revenue for the consumer division plunged 47% in the first half of 2021 and fell out of the world’s top five smartphone maker for the first time in six years.
If that wasn’t enough, Huawei had to endure a prolonged winter because of the sanctions with market commentators even speculating they will exit the smartphone market entirely.
To stay afloat, Huawei sold off its entire stake in Honor, the budget range smartphone business for Us$15.2bil to Shenzhen Zhixin New Information Technology Co Ltd, a consortium made up of over 30 dealers and includes a state-owned enterprise of the municipal government of Shenzhen.
Hence, when social media caught wind of Huawei Mate 60 pro with videos of long queues for the launch of the smartphone, it attracted global attention. The two questions on everyone’s mind were, “how did Huawei do it with the sanctions ongoing?” and “is this the start of Huawei’s path to reclaim its smartphone throne?”
For those who are not too familiar, one should understand that chips are denominated in different measurements such as 5nm, 7nm and 10nm. It represents the specific generation of chips made with a particular technology and the smaller numbers represent more advanced and efficient technology.
In the past, these numbers indicated the size of the smallest features or transistors that can be produced on a chip using a particular manufacturing process.
What is interesting about Huawei’s latest smartphone launch is that the Kirin 9000s System on Chip that powers the phone model appears to be manufactured using an advanced 7nm process.
Following the trade sanction which was meant to cripple Huawei’s advancement in smartphone manufacturing, most would assume that Huawei would not have access to advanced chips.
In addition, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), China’s state-backed chip manufacturer which is widely regarded to be the top in China, is only capable of producing 14nm at that time. In addition, SMIC has not been able to procure the advanced Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems that are used to produce chips at 7nm and below before they were sanctioned as well.
Based on teardown analysis by reviewers online, the chip’s overall performance seems to match that of Snapdragon 888 or Apple A13 chipsets which were launched in 2019-2020. But for those who might have some familiarity with the chip fabrication industry, this is likely not the case as the 7nm chip could be produced using the older generation deep ultraviolet machines which China manufacturers can still import.
This would require usage of multi-patterning, a technique that has been utilised by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC) in 2017 of producing 7nm chips before EUV was introduced.
In fact, SMIC reportedly used this technique to produce a 7nm chip for bitcoin miners last year, so they are no stranger to the technique.
The downside of this technique is that it will waste more time, energy, water, while also resulting in higher defects and lower yield. Hence the cost of production is likely much higher.
Nonetheless, EUV machines are still needed to advance beyond 5nm process, and at 3nm and below, multi-patterning would be required even with EUV machines. Hence, we can say that the real bottleneck of the United States trade sanction will hit it hard beyond 5nm.
Currently, SMIC, while improving, is still lagging its global peers; TSMC and Samsung have already started mass production of chips using the 3nm process in 2022 which is two generations ahead of the 7nm process used by SMIC.
The gap is around four years but without access to EUV machines, it could take much longer for SMIC to reach 3nm. It is important to note that all its competitors are now working towards mass production of 2nm chips in 2025.
Considering how SMIC is also sanctioned by the United States, it is remarkable to see it making progress. SMIC will likely continue to be supported by the Chinese government in developing advanced chips.
So long as self-interest politics remains the priority over mutual prosperity and the technology transfer agenda, we will see companies and manufacturing bases move across regions based on the countries’ political alignments or foreign policies rather than merits.
Apart from the United States and European manufacturers that have been diversifying production out of China, even some Chinese suppliers are building new factories in our country as they do not want to lose their markets outside of China.
For now, most are setting up in the existing states with matured industry supply chains such as in Penang and Johor.
Hence, sad to say, while this fight between the two economic powerhouse is detrimental to the world in the long term, in the short term, it appears that it is good for our nation, and we should continue to capitalise on the opportunity.
At the end of the day, every country, especially the larger economies, hopes to maintain its economic dominance over the rest of the world. This era, thankfully, is not an era where the wars between countries are fought with guns and bullets. It is an era where the race is on technological advancement and scientific breakthrough.
Apart from the semiconductor chip competition that has been ongoing since the start of the United States-china trade war, the Covid-19 global pandemic has raised the awareness for the government on the importance on advancing research and development in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.
Even countries with the strongest military power cannot avoid the same fate of being engulfed in the effects of the pandemic like any other Third World country.
Unlike the United States, Europe, Taiwan and South Korea, China started research and development in the semiconductor industry much later. We must remember China only started focusing on developing its advanced chip technology recently.
Before the decoupling with the United States happened in 2020, there was no urgency to do so, given that they could still rely on imported technology.
As nations around the world continue to become more tribal, it is crucial to be self-sufficient, be it in the area of technology development, healthcare or food security. It may take awhile but eventually, government leaders ought to revert to multilateralism and focus on the benefits of building a global economy in the interests of mankind.
China is set to mark its 20th National Day of Science Popularization starting from Saturday. At the Shougang Park in Beijing - the center stage of the national event - people can enjoy a hands-on experience with the country's cutting-edge ..
Ten Republican lawmakers jointly sent a letter dated Thursday to Alan Estevez, undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, exerting pressure and presenting seven demands. These demands include the establishment of a new agency dedicated to controlling the export of American technology to China, imposing “full blocking sanctions” on both Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) and Huawei, and placing all their subsidiary companies on the Entity List.
A man sits slumped in a street overrun with drug users in Kensington Philadelphia, on July 19, 2021. Photo: VCG
The US is plagued with a drug abuse problem more acute than any other countries as 12 percent of global drug users come from the North American country, two times higher than the proportion of its population.
Provisional data indicates that nearly 110,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022, the highest of all time, and more than two-thirds of the deaths involved the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, as per US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fentanyl-related deaths among children increased more than 30-fold between 2013 and 2021, the Associated Press reported.
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, when visiting China in late August, claimed that US hopes to cooperate with China to tackle the rapidly increasing rates of fentanyl overdoses. However, the country simultaneously keeps scapegoating China on the issue, imposing sanctions and filing criminal charges against Chinese enterprises and individuals.
Through an investigation into the US' opioid crisis which reveals the country's legislative and law enforcement failures over the decades, the Global Times found that the US is disinclined to find a radical cure, while scapegoating China as a conduit for mounting anger in American society. All this serves the US' strategic rivalry with China.
Painkiller becomes source of pain
There is nothing new under the sun, and the US' fentanyl crisis is a continuation of its forbearer Oxycodone, a strong, semi-synthetic opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain.
The Netflix TV drama Painkiller released in 2023, adapted from a book published in 2003, revealed how the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma colluded with US medicinal regulators and developed aggressive marketing tactics to promote its brand name product OxyContin, an extended-release form of Oxycodone, as less likely to cause addiction, raking in tens of millions of dollars.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), charged with the responsibility of prescription drug use regulation, gave OxyContin the green light in 1995 even though neither long-term studies nor assessments of its addictive capabilities had been thoroughly conducted.
Two principal FDA reviewers who originally approved Purdue's application both took positions at the company after leaving the agency. In the following two decades, more FDA staffers involved in opioid approvals left the FDA to work for opioid makers, according to the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics.
Purdue offered kickbacks, paid lecturers, and organized free seminar vacations to doctors to incentivize them to prescribe OxyContin, leading to a tenfold increase in prescriptions for less serious pain, from about 670,000 in 1997 to about 6.2 million in 2002.
Suspected fentanyl pills are seized at the Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles, California, on October 19, 2022. Photo: VCG
As Purdue earned billions of dollars from oxycodone sales, other drug companies took note; when the numerous unnecessary prescriptions were given to chronic pain patients, addiction and overdose deaths soared.
The US' healthcare system also contributed - "Most insurance, especially for poor people, won't pay for anything but a pill," said Judith Feinberg, a professor at West Virginia University with expertise in infectious diseases associated with drug injection.
The US Department of Health and Human Services estimated that about 11 million people in the US consume oxycodone in a non-medical way annually.
Although Purdue was ultimately brought to justice, addicts are not redeemed. The large, ever expanding group of drug dependence, without proper social support and intervention, easily became the victims of new, more powerful drugs - fentanyl, a synthetic opioid which is also FDA-approved and up to 50 and 100 times stronger than heroine and morphine respectively.
Fentanyl, the cheaper to make yet more lethal drug and its close cousins became the biggest drug-related killers in the US in 2016, the Associated Press reported.
The media has reported on how drug users addicted to other substances unknowingly ingest fentanyl, as local dealers sell "traditional" products like cocaine "cut" with fentanyl, or pills containing fentanyl that are "advertised as legitimate prescription drugs."
Incapable legislation, enforcement
With around 4 percent of the world's population, the US consumes 80 percent of the world's opioids.
Why is the US?
The US' drug problem, including the current fentanyl abuse crisis, is deeply rooted in the country's lobbying political structure and ideology, said Zhang Yifei, an associate research fellow at the Institute of American Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The colossal profits bundle pharmaceutical companies with the FDA, sponsored politicians, academic groups, and the media, making the fentanyl crisis a predictable tragedy in the US that has enriched a few at the expense of many lives lost, Zhang said.
Academic institutions provide "scientific proof," media and think tanks propagate said proof, and drug makers lobby the government - this is a very complete and mature chain, Zhang elaborated, "They have various ways to exchange rights and interests through the 'revolving door' system."
Zhang also pointed to "the pan-liberalism trend in the US, which emphasizes the absolute freedom of individuals."
US governments, be they federal or state, are incapable of exercising effective regulation on many issues, although some of them, like drugs and guns, have endangered the public, Zhang said.
When the public demands for freedom of marijuana use, governments and drug companies "hear" these calls and legalize the drug, milking profits from sales. Even in states where marijuana remains illegal, its use is prevalent and law enforcement efforts to curb use are almost nonexistent.
A Chinese national who used to live in North Carolina, told the Global Times that it is common to see people "getting high" in public in broad daylight when the drug is illegal.
In the same way, only until the fentanyl crisis becomes so critical that the public demands for action to be taken, will the government finally act. The first fentanyl-related act passed in Congress in 2017, four years after lawmakers receiving alert on the drug.
A woman uses a new vending machine in Brooklyn that will disperse fentanyl test strips and naloxone as well as hygiene kits, maxi pads, Vitamin C, and COVID-19 tests for free on June 5, 2023 in New York City. Photo: VCG
When actions are finally taken, they cannot avoid the trap of US' political wrestling.
Lawmakers, during the US' 2023 legislative session, introduced over 600 bills related to fentanyl. However, in a deeply divided country, many of the fentanyl crime laws are notable for attracting bipartisan support, the New York Times reported in June. When Republican-controlled House reviewed a bill on fentanyl trafficking in May, 132 of the 133 vetoes came from Democrats.
Another incongruous approach is the use of "safer" supervised consumption services (SCS) through which people can use pre-obtained drugs "safety" with the support of trained personnel. Funded by public money, it is hard to say whether such facilities can curb overdoses more than treating those with an addiction, not to mention such "legal sites" can mislead youth to believe addiction and drug use are nothing to worry.
Zeng Lidu, a grassroots narcotic control officer in Central China's Hunan Province, told the Global Times that the US approach of control sounds "odd" in China, which, as one of the countries with the most effective drug control, closely monitors the maker rather than potential user.
"Fentanyl has variable structures, making it more difficult than the traditional drugs to crack down on," Zeng told the Global Times. "In our district, only a few chemical plants and hospitals are allowed the use of fentanyl under close supervision. We trace and regulate every step in their use, transportation, and storage of fentanyl."
Experts told the Global Times that many fentanyl precursors are widely used in the chemical industry. China, as a chemical giant, does not have a fentanyl abuse problem at home, which says a lot about the root cause of the American drug disease.
Not cooperation but scapegoating
Out of humanitarianism, China is willing to cooperate with the US in tackling the proliferation of fentanyl and has established a cooperation mechanism with the US on the issue.
China scheduled and controlled all fentanyl-related substance by class in 2019 - the first country to do so in the world, while the US itself is yet to do the same. China formulated three legal documents to support the filing, prosecution, conviction, and sentencing of offenses involving these substances. To reinforce fentanyl testing and monitoring, five sub-centers of the National Drug Laboratory have been established across the country.
But the US in 2020 unilaterally and arbitrarily imposed sanctions on the institute of forensic science under China's Ministry of Public Security and National Drug Laboratory, severely jeopardizing related cooperation.
A new vilification of China popular in the US is that Chinese firms sell commonly used chemicals to a third country, such as Mexico, where fentanyl is manufactured and later sold to the US. Citing this, the US has sanctioned Chinese companies, even including tablet press machine makers.
Analysts stressed the "know your customer" practice that some in the US have been asking about far exceeds UN obligations. According to international practices, it is up to the importing country to ensure that imported goods are not used for illegal purposes, not the exporter. China has no sovereign right over a third country, and Chinese companies are not capable of verifying all buyers of its product.
Zhang Yifei said scapegoating China on fentanyl is an easy and convenient approach for the US government to unleash domestic anger against ineffective drug control.
Through distorted coverage on the issue, domestic media outlets successfully sell "China responsible" narrative to Americans at home. By repeatedly hyping the narrative at international occasions, the US also adds fentanyl into its recipe cooking "China threat."
In this sense, fentanyl is essentially same to long-term smear campaign against China on many topics including human rights in Xinjiang region, Zhang said.
As the presidential elections approach, blaming China for its domestic social handicaps as a political tactic sounds ridiculous, but quite a number of US politicians and voters buy this logic, Zhang noted. As the US' domestic political infighting escalates, chance of cooperation on this area which the US is in urgent need of, may narrow even further.
