Mailbag: Will Trump's Tariffs Stop Precursors? Why Is Diddy's Bisexuality Not An Issue?
Also: 1000 bottles of baby oil, Justin Bieber, and Kid Cudi's blown-up car
Thanks for your questions, and feel free to leave more in the comments. I’ll get to them as soon as I figure out Amazon’s “size guide” for the “Nike tech” my kid wants for Christmas.
Keith Keller: Will China's fentanyl component exports continue under the next (ugh) administration?
Toni F.: What are your thoughts on precursor chemicals and the cartels that seem to rely on China?
Regarding fentanyl precursors, I believe Trump’s tariff threats genuinely spook the CCP. After all, this was how the orange man got China to blanket ban all fentanyl analogues in 2019, which was a big deal. That said, it seems unlikely China will expend the necessary resources to truly contain its precursor export industry.
As for the Mexican cartels, you may have seen the New York Times story about the cartels’ employment/coercion of university chemists to make precursors. It’s an interesting piece, and I have no doubt that the cartels want to cut China out of the equation. However, the article overlooks one critical factor: infrastructure.
This is a Chinese chemical lab. It looks like the space age.
This is a cartel chemical lab. It looks like the stone age.
The cartels can make precursors, sure. But they simply don’t have the infrastructure to make them at scale. Not only does China have superior facilities and government support, they have a massive pipeline of young, bright scientists who are willing to work even when someone’s not holding a gun to their head.
And thus Chinese companies will always be able to undercut the cartels.
It’s like if I decided I wanted to make fidget spinners. Sure, I could probably do so if I really set my mind to it. But I could never make them as cheaply as China.
Keith Keller: Is there a naltrexone documentary coming?
Thank you for asking! Yes, my documentary Antagonist is currently in post-production, and should be out by mid-2025. It focuses on the plot against naltrexone, the often-effective, yet-widely-disparaged treatment drug for both opioid and alcohol addiction. In fact, naltrexone is a wonder drug that can even be effective off-label against meth addiction, sex addiction, Crohn’s disease, anorexia, and infertility. And yet, in the media, it’s almost universally despised. Check the short clip from the film above and read more about it here; you can also contribute at that link (please help us reach our goal).
Aaron Baines: Why does Diddy seemingly get a pass for being bisexual when it has been frowned upon in the hip-hop community? Obviously mainstream news outlets aren't going to cover this story but it's not really being discussed on social media either.
You’re right that hip-hop has a long history of homophobia, much of which lingers today…