Austin News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) have joined forces to introduce a bipartisan bill aimed at addressing the online sale of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. The Targeting Online Sales of Fentanyl Act seeks to combat the fentanyl crisis by investigating the methods used to facilitate the online sale of this dangerous drug and assessing the effectiveness of federal law enforcement and online providers in combating the issue.

According to Senator Cruz, "Our nation's drug overdose crisis - fueled by fentanyl - claims upwards of 70,000 American lives each year. Chinese fentanyl continues to pour across our southern border thanks to the failures of the Biden administration. Fentanyl is often marketed and sold online. I am proud to work with Senator Booker to introduce bipartisan legislation that scrutinizes the exact numbers underlying this crisis and allows us to work towards comprehensive solutions to the fentanyl pandemic."

Senator Booker highlights the devastating impact of the online sale of illicit drugs laced with fentanyl, stating that "drug overdoses now surpass suicide, traffic accidents, and gun violence as one of the leading causes of preventable death among people aged 18 to 45." He believes that this legislation will provide answers on how best to disrupt online drug distribution channels, enabling lawmakers to craft evidence-based solutions to address the issue.

The Targeting Online Sales of Fentanyl Act mandates that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct an investigation and provide a comprehensive report within one year. The report will cover several key areas, including the business models and techniques employed by online fentanyl traffickers, the utilization of social media platforms in facilitating fentanyl transactions involving youth, the scope and effectiveness of federal initiatives aimed at countering online fentanyl sales, the enforcement mechanisms and processes employed by online providers to detect and report transactions, and an analysis of the outcomes of referrals to law enforcement agencies regarding online fentanyl sales, along with areas requiring improvement.

The bill has garnered support from Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who have all cosponsored the legislation.

This legislation comes at a critical time, as drug overdoses in the United States reached record levels in 2022. The online sale of counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl has contributed significantly to this alarming trend. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) identified 76 cases in just a two-month period in 2021 where traffickers advertised drugs on social media. Furthermore, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) recently revealed that nearly 95% of the 35,000 online pharmacies operate illegally, and experts detect over 10,000 new drug-related accounts on social media every month.

In addition to the Targeting Online Sales of Fentanyl Act, Senator Cruz also introduced and successfully passed the Testing, Rapid Analysis, and Narcotic Quality (TRANQ) Research Act earlier this year. This legislation directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to enhance understanding of tranq and other novel synthetic drugs, develop new tests for detection, and establish partnerships with front-line entities that are often the first points of contact with new street drugs.

The introduction of the Targeting Online Sales of Fentanyl Act is a significant step forward in addressing the fentanyl crisis and combating the online sale of counterfeit drugs. With bipartisan support and a comprehensive investigation into the methods used by online fentanyl traffickers, lawmakers hope to develop effective solutions to this pressing issue.

To find out more, go to this link: https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/sens-cruz-booker-introduce-bipartisan-bill-targeting-online-sales-of-drugs-laced-with-illicit-fentanyl