Weekly Column: Combatting Fentanyl

In recent years, as prescription opioids have become harder to obtain, illicit fentanyl, a cheap, widely available and potent drug, entered the drug supply, making overdoes even more unpredictable and deadly.  The record number of illegal border crossings under the Biden Administration’s watch fueled the increased smuggling of fentanyl into our country, as Idaho law enforcement along with communities and families have faced the deadly impacts of fentanyl and cartel drug trafficking.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has characterized fentanyl as “the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced.”  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44, with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids as the leading cause of these deaths. 

In Idaho:

• Fentanyl seizures have increased dramatically since 2020. 

• Fentanyl has significantly increased in use and availability in the state, and fentanyl is among the most seized drugs in the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

• The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare found that in 2023, Idaho experienced 264 deaths related to opioid overdoses, and 51 percent of overdose deaths in Idaho involved fentanyl. 

Efforts are underway to help end fentanyl’s deadly impacts in our communities:

At the border—It is well documented that China is a primary source of fentanyl precursors and analogues, or altered versions of fentanyl.  These precursor chemicals are shipped either directly to the United States or to Mexico-based drug cartels and smuggled across the southern border.  They are then pressed into counterfeit pills, mixed into other illicit drugs or manufactured into powder form.  In 2024, officials seized nearly 22,000 pounds of fentanyl at U.S. ports of entry, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. 

I joined several of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in pressing China directly on its role in the fentanyl crisis and backed efforts to secure our borders.  And, thankfully, President Trump has taken immediate and strong steps to stem the flow of fentanyl across our borders.  From day one of his Administration, President Trump has marshalled available resources to stop the flood of illegal aliens and deadly drugs into the United States, acting decisively on the recognition that:

“A nation without borders is not a nation, and the Federal Government must act with urgency and strength to end the threats posed by an unsecured border.”

Through added enforcement tools—With my support, the Senate recently passed S. 331, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act by a vote of 84 to 16.  The HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently elevate fentanyl-related substances’ classification as a controlled substance, which would match criminal penalties for possessing and trafficking fentanyl analogues with those for fentanyl trafficking and possession.  This would help combat criminal cartels’ circumvention of U.S. law by slightly altering fentanyl. 

By further leveraging international tools—In the 118th Congress, I co-sponsored S. 1271, the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which allows the U.S. Department of the Treasury to sanction entities and individuals involved in the production and trafficking of fentanyl.  This measure was enacted as part of last year’s National Security Supplemental, which I supported.  

We must be vigilant in modernizing our laws to empower our law enforcement with the necessary tools and authorities to secure our borders and protect Idaho communities from illegal drugs that destroy lives.  We, fortunately, have an effective leader in this effort in President Trump, and I look forward to continued progress in ridding Idaho communities of this lethal hazard. 

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