US officials are expressing growing concerns about the potential impact of an illegal and highly addictive drug in the United States. This drug, called captagon, is being produced and distributed by groups associated with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah in Lebanon. In the past, captagon was prescribed for conditions like ADHD and narcolepsy, but it was banned internationally many years ago. However, it has seen a resurgence in the Middle East, particularly in war-torn Syria, where it has become a major source of income.
Regional governments have started cracking down on captagon, seizing over 1 billion pills in the last three years. This crackdown has led producers to seek out new markets, with senior European Union officials expecting an increase in captagon flow into Europe. Similarly, US officials are worried about the drug making its way to the United States. In response, the Biden administration has implemented strategies to disrupt and dismantle the illicit captagon networks linked to the Assad regime. Furthermore, a bipartisan bill has been introduced to impose new sanctions on Assad for his involvement in captagon production and trafficking.
Assad denies any involvement in the drug trade and instead blames foreign governments for creating chaos in Syria, which allowed captagon to flourish. Some experts believe that Assad is now using captagon as a bargaining chip, offering to crack down on the drug trade in exchange for sanctions relief and regional support. The consequences of captagon can be seen in Saudi Arabia, where its consumption among young people is seen as a threat to the country’s economic vision. Captagon is often considered a gateway drug, with users transitioning to more harmful substances like crystal meth.
Overall, the concerns over captagon highlight the need for international cooperation and strict measures to combat the production and trafficking of this dangerous drug.
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