Why would a CBP doctor seek fentanyl lollipops for deployment to the U.N. General Assembly?

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Washington Examiner published a bombshell report Friday that claims a top doctor who works for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) attempted to procure fentanyl lollipops last September ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, according to the Government Accountability Project (GAP). 

According to a whistleblower report published by the GAP, sources have come forward and claimed Dr. Alexander Eastman was trying to obtain fentanyl in the form of lollipops to bring with him to the U.N. allegedly to “be prepared” in the event of an emergency, claiming the drug would assist with pain management. 

“Eastman spent copious hours of his and Office of the Chief Medical Officer staff time directing the OCMO staff to urgently help him procure fentanyl lollipops, a Schedule II narcotic, so that he could bring them on the CBP Air and Marine Operations helicopter on which he would be a passenger in New York City,” a whistleblower’s report obtained by NBC News said.

“Dr. Eastman claims that his possession of fentanyl lollipops was necessary in case a CBP operator might be injured or in case the CBP Air and Marine Operations team encountered a patient in need.” 

The necessity of providing fentanyl under the above circumstances appears bizarre on its face, with whistleblowers saying staff attempted to tell Eastman that Narcan is a better choice and had, in fact, been requested for CBP operations in the past, while fentanyl had not.

Fentanyl is currently one of the leading causes of the opioid crisis in the United States, facilitated in no small part by the United States’ porous southern border. In fact, Narcan is often used as a means to treat those who overdose on fentanyl. 

Whistleblowers also say that staff were concerned about how Eastman would store the fentanyl and how it would be discarded after the General Assembly ended. 

Eastman has been serving as the chief medical doctor for CBP since June 2023 and created his own policy in response to concerns raised by staff. He did so, however, without including information on how the fentanyl would be stored or how unused doses of the drug would be disposed of afterward. The Examiner report said Eastman was unsuccessful in procuring the fentanyl lollipops. 

Many other drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin, are sometimes laced with fentanyl, which is 50 times more deadly than heroin. According to NPR, the overdose death rate in the United States topped 112,000 in 2023, the first time that has occurred. Fentanyl is widely blamed for a majority of those deaths. Federal researchers say drug overdoses are now a leading cause of death in Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. 

Mexican cartels often “press these chemicals into pills, which are counterfeited to resemble pharmaceutical-grade medications for ADHD, depression, and pain,” NPR reported. 

Notably, Customs and Border Protection plays a pivotal role in preventing the influx of deadly fentanyl into the U.S., particularly from Mexican drug cartels. Despite these efforts, large quantities of fentanyl continue to enter the country, contributing to the escalating crisis.

Some individuals find Dr. Eastman's actions suspicious, especially considering ongoing ethics investigations related to his handling and ordering of narcotics for a colleague in CBP's Air and Marines Unit. This colleague was slated for deployment to New York during the U.N. General Assembly. 

The report, shared with Congress, recommends a comprehensive investigation of Dr. Eastman, proposing a temporary ban on restructuring, reorganization, or hiring in his office until the investigation concludes. Additionally, it suggests halting any controlled substance purchase approvals authorized by Dr. Eastman during this period of inquiry.