As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presented a lecture titled "Fentanyl Trafficking: The Role of Mexico and China and US Policy Responses" by Brookings senior fellow in foreign policy, Vanda Felbab-Brown.

The evolution of fentanyl trafficking patterns and the role of Mexican and Chinese criminal networks, as well as the policy responses of the governments of Mexico and China, are critical policy issues for our region. Analyzing the crime and smuggling patterns at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as myths and realities of who smuggles fentanyl into the United States and how this is accomplished can help to identify possible policy interventions. Drawing on fieldwork in Mexico, this lecture examines the behavior of Mexican criminal groups in Mexico and analyzes U.S. supply side policy measure options. This lecture concludes with a conversation with Dr. Sara Hunt, assistant dean of behavioral health sciences for the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, discussing the state of treatment services and the mental and behavioral health workforce in Nevada.