New Delhi: The Biden administration is set to unveil new measures to combat the fentanyl crisis, which has been fueled by the surge of synthetic drugs in recent years, a White House press release stated.
The National Security Memorandum, which will be issued by President Biden on Wednesday, calls on federal departments and agencies to increase intelligence collection and coordination to disrupt the production and distribution of illicit fentanyl. It also seeks to increase penalties on those who smuggle deadly drugs into the country and close loopholes that drug traffickers exploit, the administration said in a statement.
As drug traffickers and suppliers adapt, we must do so as well,” the National Security Memorandum reads. The administration also plans to propose new legislation to permanently regulate fentanyl-related substances as “Schedule I” drugs, subject the distribution and possession of these drugs to heightened penalties, and increase the role of border patrol in detecting and intercepting drugs at the southern border.
The Biden administration has made a commitment to addressing the opioid epidemic and reducing overdose deaths. In 2021, the administration issued an executive order targeting foreign persons engaged in the global illicit drug trade and sanctioned over 300 persons and entities under this authority. The order also led to the closure of dozens of drug trafficking organizations.