PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to give law enforcement another tool to keep our communities safe by cracking down on every link in the illicit fentanyl supply chain, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, under the leadership of Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-OH), recently passed the bipartisan Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act.

This sanctions and anti-money laundering bill targets the illicit fentanyl supply chain, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs in from Mexico.  By strengthening current laws and directing the U.S. Treasury Department to target, sanction, and block the financial assets of transnational criminal organizations, the FEND Off Fentanyl Act aims to stop the flow of deadly fentanyl into the U.S. by choking off the income source of those who traffic in synthetic opioids. This supply-side policy aimed at drug cartels will parallel state and federal public health efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) joined Senator Brown, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, and officials from the Rhode Island Police Chief’s Association and Brown University to discuss efforts to combat fentanyl, ensure community safety, and promote harm reduction and recovery initiatives for people who use drugs.

“The federal government needs to step up and be a reliable partner in the fight against fentanyl. Senator Brown’s bipartisan bill gives us that step by creating a strategic, multi-pronged approach to disrupt fentanyl traffickers, including stronger counternarcotics enforcement, demand reduction initiatives, and expanded access to lifesaving treatment,” said Senator Reed. “Passing the FEND Off Fentanyl Act would put the U.S. on the offensive against this crisis and give us new tools to block the flow of fentanyl and precursor chemicals to the United States.”

“Senator Reed is a leading national security voice. Our nation is stronger and more secure because of his service and leadership. He understands that Fentanyl is a national security threat that is devastating communities in Ohio and Rhode Island,” said Senator Brown. “Our bipartisan bill will impose new, more powerful sanctions targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain – from the chemical suppliers in China, to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico – to help stop this drug before it ever reaches our communities.”

“The opioid crisis is uniquely complex, and requires a robust strategy across government, healthcare, and community groups to effectively disrupt the chain of supply, proactively educate the public, and provide emergency intervention options for those who are suffering,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha. “So far, our office has been able to secure over $250M in recovered funds and life-saving medicine from the drug companies that caused this unprecedented harm. Those funds have helped fulfill a similarly intricate strategy that centers prevention, harm-reduction, education, equity, and so many more important facets of this complicated crisis. I thank Senator Reed, Senator Brown, and the state’s federal delegation for their continued support in tackling this important matter head on.”

“Law enforcement is the front lines of this fight in many ways,” said Matthew C. Moynihan, Chief of Police for South Kingstown and Treasurer of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association. “From interdiction to outreach we are working to address the impacts that opioid use disorder has on our communities.  Adding more tools and strategies that we can use to help prevent fentanyl from entering our drug supply is critical to gaining ground.”

“As a public health leader and physician on the front lines of this epidemic, I see the direct toll that fentanyl has on people who use drugs, their families, and the community. My sincere hope is that through this new legislation we can disrupt the illicit fentanyl supply chain without criminalizing people who are living with opioid use disorders. At the Brown University School of Public Health, we are leading the way in efforts to reduce harms of drug use, promote recovery, and improve treatment access and outcomes – all with the goal of saving lives,” said Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Brown University, Dr. Francesca Beaudoin.

Fentanyl  is a highly potent street drug  – about 50 times stronger than heroin – and comes in several forms, including liquid and powder.  It now dominates the illicit drug market and is increasingly mixed with other illicit drugs. Users can’t tell if the drug they are taking contains fentanyl based on smell, taste, or sight, thus increasing overdose risks.

According to the latest data from the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), 434 Rhode Islanders died of drug overdoses last year, making it one of the deadliest years on record.  Fentanyl was involved in 75 percent of fatal overdose cases in Rhode Island last year, according to RIDOH and PreventOverdoseRI.org (PORI).

Researchers from Brown University School of Public Health’s testRI (Toxicological and Ethnographic Drug Surveillance Testing in Rhode Island) test samples from the local drug supply in Rhode Island to inform people who use drugs—and the people who support them—and to strengthen harm reduction messaging and practices. Their data helps identify drug trends, ways to reduce harm from a contaminated drug supply, and areas of research needed.

The rate of U.S. drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl more than tripled from 2016 through 2021, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).