This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee met to address the fentanyl crisis, which poses a severe threat to public health and safety. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, causes nearly 200 deaths daily in the United States. Just 2 milligrams of this powerful drug can kill a person, and a teaspoon is enough to end 2,000 lives.

Legislative Solutions to the Fentanyl Epidemic

Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) urged Congress to pass the bipartisan Halt Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act. This bill would make fentanyl a Schedule 1 controlled substance permanently. He explained, “ Drug cartels easily alter fentanyl to bypass legal scheduling, increasing its deadliness. That’s why in 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration scheduled fentanyl drug-offs as a class using a formula.” Grassley insisted this legislation is essential to curbing the fentanyl crisis.

Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL) pushed for the Cooper Davis Act, which requires technology companies to take a proactive role in stopping online drug trafficking. Durbin highlighted that social media platforms must act decisively to reduce the availability of fentanyl and similar substances.

Stories of Loss Drive Calls for Action

Bridgette Norring, whose son Devin overdosed on fentanyl at 19, spoke at the hearing. She recalled how Devin, suffering from untreated medical pain during the pandemic, turned to social media for help. “The morning after Devin and an acquaintance went onto Snapchat and they connected with a drug dealer, he was found unresponsive in his bedroom,” she said. Bridgette exposed how platforms like Snapchat enable access to deadly substances, inadvertently fuelling the fentanyl epidemic.

The hearing highlighted the devastating effects of the fentanyl crisis and strengthened calls for legislative action. Through measures like the HALT Fentanyl Act and Cooper Davis Act, lawmakers aim to disrupt trafficking networks, safeguard communities, and prevent further tragedies linked to fentanyl abuse.

Source: Judiciary.senate