State Department attends Bangkok III Conference on drug war

Members of the U.S. State Department recently attended the Bangkok III Conference where together with members of the United Nations, they discussed the war on drugs in the United States. 
At the conference held Feb. 21-24, United States and United Nations officials discussed drugs, crimes and restrictions on drug trafficking. 
Luis Arreaga, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcementaffairs gave a speech while at the conference. During the meeting, the U.S. discussed ways to "enhance control of the precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl, a substance that is driving opioid-related overdoses in the United States."
Additionally, new psychoactive substances (NPS) were also heavily discussed during the meeting.
The United States seeks to end "illegal trafficking of synthetic drugs, including fentanyl, that are harming U.S. communities," a State Department press release said.
Together with the "United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the United States will partner with international organizations and other nations to restrict the illicit production and transnational trafficking of drugs."
Beyond bilateral meetings to strengthen counternarcotics cooperation, the United States, Mexico and Canada will lead a side event on the regional partnership against fentanyl trafficking. The event aims to raise awareness among the expert community of the need for more international coordination in the face of this inherently transnational challenge.