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Inside Chicago's battle against the synthetic drugs flooding the US

BBC World · 2026-10-18

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• What happened: Inside Chicago's battle against the synthetic drugs flooding the US Inside Chicago's battle against the synthetic drugs flooding the USInside Chicago's battle against the synthetic drugs flooding the USWarning: This video contains descriptions of drug-taking and distressing imagesA new wave of synthetic drugs is sweepi... • Why it matters: This update may be relevant for Cyprus residents, visitors, businesses or policymakers. • What to watch next: Follow CyprusDailyLife for updates.

Inside Chicago's battle against the synthetic drugs flooding the USInside Chicago's battle against the synthetic drugs flooding the USWarning: This video contains descriptions of drug-taking and distressing imagesA new wave of synthetic drugs is sweeping across the United States, raising fear of a worsening drug crisis.Earlier this year, President Donald Trump pledged a crackdown on drug cartels, proscribing many as terrorist organisations.Drug overdose deaths have fallen from a peak of around 110,000 in 2022, down to roughly 70,000 last year.However, America's decades-long drug crisis may be accelerating and authorities are increasingly concerned about cheaper, more powerful synthetic drugs, including an animal tranquilliser called tranq.The BBC's Quentin Sommerville reports from the frontlines in South Side, Chicago, where communities are battling the crisis.Camera journalist: Darren ConwayRead more about the synthetic drug crisis sweeping the US.SubsectionUS & CanadaPublished14 minutes agoShare pageAbout sharingRelated topicsDrugs tradeYou are now following Drugs tradeUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.United StatesYou are now following United StatesUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.ChicagoYou are now following ChicagoUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.OpioidsYou are now following OpioidsUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.FentanylYou are now following FentanylUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.AddictionYou are now following AddictionUpdates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.

Source: BBC World
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