Washington—The Senate yesterday passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in support of National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

Overdose deaths have skyrocketed in recent years, largely due to the influx of fentanyl – a synthetic opioid – being mixed into illicit drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that nearly 40 percent of illicit pills contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Six out of every 10 pills with fentanyl tested by the DEA contained a potentially lethal dose.

In the 12-month period ending September 2022, more than 106,000 Americans died from drug overdoses. Nearly 72,000 of those deaths involved fentanyl.

“Too many families know the pain of losing a loved one to a fentanyl overdose,” Senator Feinstein said. “Those deaths are often the result of people unknowingly using fentanyl that has been made to look like a prescription drug. With fentanyl-related deaths rising each year, our resolution will hopefully save lives by raising awareness of the dangers of this drug.”

“The flood of deadly fentanyl is taking a tragic toll in communities across the country, claiming innocent lives each day. We must address this epidemic on all fronts, and that means raising awareness. I’ll continue working to tackle the illegal production and distribution of these deadly drugs, and amplify voices of those working to prevent future tragedies,” Senator Grassley said.

In addition to Senators Feinstein and Grassley, the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), JD Vance (R-Ohio), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Deb Fischer (D-Neb.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.).

For more information and resources on National Fentanyl Awareness Day, visit fentanylawarenessday.org.

Full text of the resolution is available here and below:

Supporting the mission and goals of National Fentanyl Awareness Day in 2023, including increasing individual and public awareness of the impact of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills on families and young people.

Whereas drug traffickers are mass-producing fake or counterfeit pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the people of the United States;

Whereas many fake or counterfeit pills are made to look like prescription name-brand opioids, stimulants, or anxiety medications;

Whereas drug traffickers are using fake or counterfeit pills to exploit the opioid crisis and prescription drug misuse;

Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration (referred to in this preamble as the “DEA”) has observed a dramatic rise in the number of counterfeit pills containing not less than 2 milligrams of fentanyl, which is considered a deadly dose;

Whereas 6 out of every 10 pills with fentanyl tested by the DEA contain a potentially lethal dose;

Whereas counterfeit pills may also contain fentanyl-related substances and methamphetamine;

Whereas the number of counterfeit pills with fentanyl seized by law enforcement agencies has increased by nearly 502 percent since 2019;

Whereas more than 50,000,000 counterfeit pills were seized within the last year, which represents 379,000,000 doses of illicit fentanyl.

Whereas fake or counterfeit pills have been identified in all 50 States and the District of Columbia;

Whereas illicit fentanyl has also been detected in illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and MDMA.

Whereas, for the 12-month period ending in September 2022, more than 106,000 individuals in the United States died of drug-induced deaths, and 72,000 of those deaths involved illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids;

Whereas, over the last 20 years, drug-induced deaths among individuals 15 to 35 years of age have increased 6-fold, largely driven by the increase in illicit fentanyl drugs;

Whereas, for the 12-month period ending in June 2022, illicit fentanyl was involved in more deaths of individuals under 50 years of age than any single other cause;

Whereas fake counterfeit pills are easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, making them accessible to teens and youth;

Whereas illicit fentanyl is involved in more deaths of youths than all other drug types combined;

Whereas, between 2019 and 2021, drug overdose and poisoning deaths for individuals 14 to 18 years of age increased by 120 percent, a rate of increase which was 43 percent higher than the national rate and higher than the rate for any other 5-year age group;

Whereas, between 2019 and 2021, the involvement of illicit fentanyl in drug overdose and poisoning deaths for individuals 14 to 18 years of age increased by 232 percent, a rate of increase which was 94 percent higher than the national rate and higher than the rate for any other 5-year age group;

Whereas, in 2021, illicit fentanyl was involved in 80 percent of drug-induced deaths of individuals between 14 and 23 years of age, compared to 66 percent of drug-induced deaths of individuals of all ages;

Whereas only 48 percent of youth and 36 percent of teens in the United States are aware that fentanyl is being used to create counterfeit pills;

Whereas only 40 percent of youth and 31 percent of teens consider themselves knowledgeable about fentanyl; and

Whereas, in 2021, there were 71,238 reported overdose deaths due to illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

1. supports the recognition and goals of National Fentanyl Awareness Day, which include increasing individual and public awareness of the impact of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills on families and young people;
   
   
2. applauds the work of Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies that work to combat the proliferation of counterfeit pills;
   
   
3. encourages the use of existing authorities to proactively stop and prevent the spread of illicit counterfeit pills; and
   
   
4. designates May 9, 2023, as “National Fentanyl Awareness Day”.