The President of the United States, Donald Trump, praised the anti-fentanyl campaign led by Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, and assured that he will replicate the strategy in his country.
During his participation in the FII Priority summit in Miami, Florida, Trump revealed that after a conversation with the Mexican president, he decided to implement a similar campaign in the United States with an initial investment of $100 million.
What did Trump say about Sheinbaum’s campaign?
Trump highlighted that, according to Sheinbaum, fentanyl consumption in Mexico is low due to deeply rooted family values in society. At the same summit, the U.S. president acknowledged that investment in advertising and preventive campaigns in Mexico has been a key factor in preventing the mass consumption of this lethal drug.
“I have been talking to the President of Mexico, a truly wonderful woman. She explained that her government invests in education and campaigns to warn about drugs and fentanyl,” Trump detailed, hinting that his administration will follow the same strategy to reduce drug consumption in the United States.
“I make a lot of calls and never learn anything from anyone because I know everything, but I spoke with this woman, and as soon as she mentioned her campaign, I said: ‘What a great idea,'” Trump stated, recognizing the impact of the Mexican strategy. He also emphasized that he will spend “hundreds of millions of dollars advertising how bad drugs are so that kids won’t use them.”
How much has Mexico invested in the anti-fentanyl campaign?
Over the past three years, the Mexican government has allocated more than 42 million pesos to prevention and awareness strategies regarding fentanyl use. The cornerstone of these efforts is the campaign “Stay Away from Drugs. Fentanyl Kills You”, which is broadcast through print, digital, and audiovisual media.
Among the implemented actions are:
- 1,448 billboards across the country.
- 500,000 posters in schools and public buildings.
- 12 million brochures with preventive messages.
The National Commission for Free Textbooks (Conaliteg) allocated more than 30 million pesos for printing these materials, featuring messages directed at young people, such as:
- Fentanyl kills you – Love gives you life.
- Fentanyl kills you – Sports give you life.
- Fentanyl kills you – Family gives you life.
How has the anti-fentanyl campaign been spread in the Mexico City Metro?
Besides printed materials, the Mexican government has invested in the dissemination of audiovisual content within the Mexico City Metro. The National Commission for Mental Health and Addictions (Conasam) contracted the company Isa Corporativo to project advertisements about the dangers of fentanyl on televisions located in Metro platforms, with an investment of 2.2 million pesos.
The campaign is also backed by various institutions and private organizations. The National Chamber of the Radio and Television Industry (CIRT) and the Communication Council, chaired by Carlos Azcárraga Andrade, have allocated 300 million pesos for the broadcast of preventive messages on radio and television.
READ ALSO. Which Mexican cartels are considered terrorist organizations in the United States?
When did Mexico’s anti-fentanyl campaign begin?
On January 7, Claudia Sheinbaum officially announced the anti-fentanyl campaign and the implementation of the Classroom Strategy: Addiction Prevention, based on the principles of the New Mexican School. This strategy began on January 13 in secondary schools and on February 4 in higher education institutions. It is estimated to benefit 11.8 million students through weekly pedagogical interventions focused on drug consumption prevention.
How much does fentanyl cost?
Fentanyl is the most lucrative drug for criminal organizations. According to military intelligence information available in the Mexican Army database, formerly SEDENA, which was hacked by the Guacamaya group, fentanyl offers exponentially higher profits compared to other substances.
For each kilogram of fentanyl pills, whose production process takes only a few hours, profits of around $296,000 can be generated in Los Angeles, California. This starkly contrasts with traditional drug margins, such as marijuana, cocaine, or heroin, which, although they can yield significant profits (for example, heroin provides about $36,000 in profit in the same market), fall far short of the sums fentanyl brings.
One of the main reasons for this vast profit gap lies in the simplicity and speed of fentanyl pill production, which requires only a few hours, compared to the months needed for the cultivation or refining of substances like marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. Additionally, the growing demand and its extreme potency (it is dozens of times stronger than heroin) allow traffickers to sell each kilogram of fentanyl at a much higher price in high-consumption U.S. cities.
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