9 ms·

> Officials said the vast number of parcels made it harder to block shipments of faulty products and illegal drugs like fentanyl. I don’t believe for a second

> Officials said the vast number of parcels made it harder to block shipments of faulty products and illegal drugs like fentanyl. I don’t believe for a second that their fentanyl interceptions will sufficiently improve otherwise. The reality is that the margin is so strong, other methods (if small individual parcels were even a factor) would fill any gap. Even more interceptions would just lead to more shipments. That’s how good the margins are.

wslh 2y ago
I'm not saying this is necessarily accurate, but could it be inferred from the article that this loophole might act like a Denial of Service (DoS) attack on the mail inspection system? Similar to the overwhelming number of security log entries that no one reads?
g9yuayon 2y ago
Do US schools and media educate the public that taking drugs is dangerous, ruinous, self destructive, and shameful. I understand that the US in general favors personal freedom, but shouldn't there be some universal values, like don't take drugs?
- Gud 2y ago
  There is nothing shameful about drug usage. It’s a part of being human. What people who face an addiction needs is help, not being shamed.
  - swagasaurus-rex 2y ago
    I feel shame for our society every time I walk past drug addicted homeless people camped out on the sidewalk. Drugs are shameful, to the degree that they impact your life. Some of us are so oppposed to shame that we justify and defend the most self destructive habits. You should be ashamed for that.
    - Gud 2y ago
      Yes, you should feel shame for society not helping these people. But why is drug usage shameful? Most drug users are responsible.
      - swagasaurus-rex 2y ago
        Reasons I can think: * Harm to the body * Harm to the brain * It can be expensive (sometimes disastrously) * Opportunity costs, both of time and money * Drugs alter your behavior, sometimes not in polite ways * Addiction make you dependent on something outside of yourself, a literal substance. * Many drugs leave you unable to work or operate heavy machinery (cars) * Some addicts prioritize their drug over anything, even family or friends. * Some addicts with steal to fund their habit. Some people make it work, there are high functioning stoners out there, there are people who need painkillers for chronic pain. These people don’t let a drug affect their lives as negatively as the alternative. But being a dependent addict isn’t virtuous.
        Gud 2y ago
        Yes, there are obviously negative things about doing drugs, just as there are positives. But that doesn’t make it shameful. No one is saying its virtuous.
        swagasaurus-rex 2y ago
        I'm saying it's shameful to the degree it impacts your life. If you're in endless pain, go for it. If you're still functional while getting high, all the power to you. If you can drink nightly and still operate, that's great. But it's not a virtue, and that substance will be what you reach for in your darkest moments. Maybe that's a good thing, if it doesn't impact your life in worse ways than the alternative.
ThinkBeat 2y ago
Drugs, child porn and terrorism can be used as universal arguments to "go to war", censorship, massive spending, etc etc. and people will not ask for evidence or at least any actual verifiable evidence. I mean if you doubt the claims then you are advocating for spreading child pornography.
tazu 2y ago
I doubt more than 2% of the fentanyl in the US comes direct from China. China just ships to Mexico, which makes it to the US through the wide open southern border.
- JumpCrisscross 2y ago
  > doubt more than 2% of the fentanyl in the US comes direct from China. China just ships to Mexico Correct. "The majority of precursor chemicals for illicitly manufactured fentanyl come from China and are synthesized into fentanyl in Mexico. Fentanyl is then smuggled across the border into the United States" [1]. That said, "China remains the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail and express consignment operations environment, as well as the main source for all fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States" [2]. > which makes it to the US through the wide open southern border No. "Most of the illicit fentanyl coming across the U.S.-Mexico border is smuggled through official ports of entry" [3]. [1] https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1953 https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1953 [2] https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-008-20%20Fentanyl%20Flow%20in%20the%20United%20States_0.pdf https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-... [3] https://www.npr.org/2023/08/07/1192557904/part-1-investigating-how-illicit-fentanyl-is-actually-getting-into-the-u-s https://www.npr.org/2023/08/07/1192557904/part-1-investigati...
  - firesteelrain 2y ago
    Majority of the fentanyl was backpacked in. I am not sure if you are trying to make the point that even though the US Government has failed to effectively stop the flow of illegal immigrants and cartel mules flowing drugs across the southern border, fentanyl is coming through official ports of entry illegally. Honestly not sure why it matters.
    - addicted 2y ago
      Of course it matters. The solutions are completely different.

wslh 2y ago

I'm not saying this is necessarily accurate, but could it be inferred from the article that this loophole might act like a Denial of Service (DoS) attack on the mail inspection system? Similar to the overwhelming number of security log entries that no one reads?

g9yuayon 2y ago

Do US schools and media educate the public that taking drugs is dangerous, ruinous, self destructive, and shameful. I understand that the US in general favors personal freedom, but shouldn't there be some universal values, like don't take drugs?

Gud 2y ago
There is nothing shameful about drug usage. It’s a part of being human. What people who face an addiction needs is help, not being shamed.
- swagasaurus-rex 2y ago
  I feel shame for our society every time I walk past drug addicted homeless people camped out on the sidewalk. Drugs are shameful, to the degree that they impact your life. Some of us are so oppposed to shame that we justify and defend the most self destructive habits. You should be ashamed for that.
  - Gud 2y ago
    Yes, you should feel shame for society not helping these people. But why is drug usage shameful? Most drug users are responsible.
    - swagasaurus-rex 2y ago
      Reasons I can think: * Harm to the body * Harm to the brain * It can be expensive (sometimes disastrously) * Opportunity costs, both of time and money * Drugs alter your behavior, sometimes not in polite ways * Addiction make you dependent on something outside of yourself, a literal substance. * Many drugs leave you unable to work or operate heavy machinery (cars) * Some addicts prioritize their drug over anything, even family or friends. * Some addicts with steal to fund their habit. Some people make it work, there are high functioning stoners out there, there are people who need painkillers for chronic pain. These people don’t let a drug affect their lives as negatively as the alternative. But being a dependent addict isn’t virtuous.
      - Gud 2y ago
        Yes, there are obviously negative things about doing drugs, just as there are positives. But that doesn’t make it shameful. No one is saying its virtuous.
        swagasaurus-rex 2y ago
        I'm saying it's shameful to the degree it impacts your life. If you're in endless pain, go for it. If you're still functional while getting high, all the power to you. If you can drink nightly and still operate, that's great. But it's not a virtue, and that substance will be what you reach for in your darkest moments. Maybe that's a good thing, if it doesn't impact your life in worse ways than the alternative.

ThinkBeat 2y ago

Drugs, child porn and terrorism can be used as universal arguments to "go to war", censorship, massive spending, etc etc. and people will not ask for evidence or at least any actual verifiable evidence. I mean if you doubt the claims then you are advocating for spreading child pornography.

tazu 2y ago

I doubt more than 2% of the fentanyl in the US comes direct from China. China just ships to Mexico, which makes it to the US through the wide open southern border.

JumpCrisscross 2y ago
> doubt more than 2% of the fentanyl in the US comes direct from China. China just ships to Mexico Correct. "The majority of precursor chemicals for illicitly manufactured fentanyl come from China and are synthesized into fentanyl in Mexico. Fentanyl is then smuggled across the border into the United States" [1]. That said, "China remains the primary source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked through international mail and express consignment operations environment, as well as the main source for all fentanyl-related substances trafficked into the United States" [2]. > which makes it to the US through the wide open southern border No. "Most of the illicit fentanyl coming across the U.S.-Mexico border is smuggled through official ports of entry" [3]. [1] https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1953 https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1953 [2] https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-008-20%20Fentanyl%20Flow%20in%20the%20United%20States_0.pdf https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-... [3] https://www.npr.org/2023/08/07/1192557904/part-1-investigating-how-illicit-fentanyl-is-actually-getting-into-the-u-s https://www.npr.org/2023/08/07/1192557904/part-1-investigati...
- firesteelrain 2y ago
  Majority of the fentanyl was backpacked in. I am not sure if you are trying to make the point that even though the US Government has failed to effectively stop the flow of illegal immigrants and cartel mules flowing drugs across the southern border, fentanyl is coming through official ports of entry illegally. Honestly not sure why it matters.
  - addicted 2y ago
    Of course it matters. The solutions are completely different.