[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 215 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 215

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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 17, 2023

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Whitehouse, 
Mr. Young, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Collins, Mr. Markey, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
  Kelly, Mr. Tillis, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Vance, Mr. Brown, Mr. Crapo, Mr. 
 Manchin, Mr. Cotton, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. 
Daines, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Wicker, 
  Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Risch, Ms. Warren, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
  Rubio, Mr. Casey, Mr. Moran, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Ernst, Mrs. Britt, Mr. 
 Braun, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Hagerty, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Graham, Mr. Lee, Mr. 
Scott of South Carolina, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs. 
Blackburn, Mr. Budd, and Ms. Rosen) submitted the following resolution; 
                   which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
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''.
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