WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06) joined on a letter alongside Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) and 114 Republican colleagues to President Biden imploring that the Administration address the swell of Fentanyl coming from China and through the southern border. Comprised within the letter is an appeal to permanently classify fentanyl related substances as a Schedule 1 drug.
“Fentanyl is crossing our southern border at record levels, and with it has come tragedy for communities across the country,” said Congressman Schweikert. “In Arizona, this crisis has hit particularly hard, and the impact on our state has been devastating. To combat the fentanyl epidemic, we must give our law enforcement officers all the resources they need to take action and fight this harmful drug, and that starts by making fentanyl related substances a permanent Schedule 1 classification.”
“Fentanyl kills more people age 18-45 than car accidents, suicide, or COVID-19,” said Congressman Steil. “We cannot stand by and watch as Americans are being killed by the flood of fentanyl related substances coming into our country. It is past time for President Biden to take seriously the need to secure our border, and make permanent fentanyl related substances Schedule 1 classification.”
Background
The recent surge in fentanyl entering the United States has created an out-right crisis, with drug overdoses reaching record high numbers between May 2020 and April 2021. This lethal synthetic opioid has been proven to be more powerful than both morphine and heroin, becoming the number cause of overdose deaths in the past year.
Currently, fentanyl related substances still fall under a temporarily classified Schedule 1 drug classification. This Schedule 1 Classification is set to expire when government funding expires on March 11, 2022. This letter requests that the classification for fentanyl related substances is made permanent, to ensure there is no medical benefit for these type of drugs.