Joco Today

On May 25, 2023, Representative Sharice Davids voted for bipartisan legislation that would restrict access to fentanyl and provide greater resources to local law enforcement to combat its use in Kansas. The HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently place all fentanyl-related substances into a schedule I class, labeling the drug with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical value. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Senate version of the bill.

“Fentanyl is devastating communities in Kansas and across the nation, and we must do more to protect folks at home from this deadly drug,” said Davids. “After hearing from local law enforcement officials and health care workers on the challenges they face, categorizing fentanyl as a Schedule I substance will give them more resources to combat this public health emergency and save lives. I’m glad the House came together in a bipartisan fashion to keep Kansans safe.”

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) issued a temporary order in February 2018 to categorize fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. Since then, Congress has extended this classification until December 31, 2024. The bipartisan legislation that passed the House today would make this classification permanent, giving law enforcement increased authority to seize the drug and making it unlawful to manufacture, distribute, import, or export fentanyl-related substances.

Last year, Davids met with Libby Davis, a Johnson County resident, whose son passed away after taking a counterfeit pill that was unknowingly laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine and is increasingly found in fake prescription pills such as Vicodin, OxyContin, or hydrocodone. Following their meeting, Davids co-sponsored and helped pass legislation through the House that creates a public awareness campaign about synthetic opioids through the Department of Health and Human Services.

Davids, a member of the bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus, has been a vocal advocate around fentanyl and opioid death prevention. She hosted multiple summits with law enforcement and health care workers on combatting the fentanyl epidemic and has taken a number of legislative actions based on the specific needs of the Kansas Third District, including:

• Joining a bipartisan group of lawmakers to request funding for new handheld mass spectrometry trace level chemical detection devices at domestic ports.
• Urging the FDA to take up expert recommendations and make Narcan, a common naloxone nasal spray, available without a prescription—which they did earlier this year.
• Hosting a Facebook Live conversation with Blue Valley School District and Johnson County Mental Health Center about opioid use in schools.

Community members looking to learn more about how to keep their families safe can visit FirstCallKC, a local organization working to reduce the impact of alcohol, drugs, and addiction in the Kansas City area. Resources and prevention services for individuals, families, schools, and others are available on their website.

Original source can be found here.