Warning: This video contains descriptions of drug-taking and distressing images<\/p>\n
A new wave of synthetic drugs is sweeping across the United States, raising fear of a worsening drug crisis.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump pledged a crackdown on drug cartels, proscribing many as terrorist organisations.<\/p>\n
Drug overdose deaths have fallen from a peak of around 110,000 in 2022, down to roughly 70,000 last year.<\/p>\n
However, America’s decades-long drug crisis may be accelerating and authorities are increasingly concerned about cheaper, more powerful synthetic drugs, including an animal tranquilliser called tranq.<\/p>\n
The BBC’s Quentin Sommerville reports from the frontlines in South Side, Chicago, where communities are battling the crisis.<\/p>\n
Camera journalist: Darren Conway<\/p>\n