A top administration official said that, without new declines in overdose deaths, tariffs on Canada and Mexico were appropriate. But the kind of real-time data he demanded doesn’t exist.According to a top administration official, the current tariffs on Canada and Mexico are justified unless there is a decrease in overdose deaths. However, the official also acknowledged that the requested real-time data on fentanyl overdose deaths does not exist. This decision comes one month after President Trump agreed to delay tariffs on the two countries in exchange for their assistance in reducing the flow of fentanyl into the United States. The administration claims that the tariffs will only be lifted when there is a significant decrease in drug deaths, but this standard may be impossible to meet since there is no national data on fentanyl overdose deaths. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that there needs to be a material reduction in autopsied deaths from opioids before the tariffs can be lowered, but there is currently no evidence of such a decline. While Lutnick plans to measure deaths again in early April, this may also face challenges due to the lack of national data. However, data from September shows that fentanyl deaths were already decreasing at a significant rate, leading to an overall decline in drug deaths unlike any seen in the past 50 years. The New York Times reports that there is currently no way to access the full article content without enabling JavaScript in the browser settings or subscribing to The Times.
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