MARKEY JOINS TRONE, COTTON IN LEADING U.S. COMMISSION ON COMBATING SYNTHETIC OPIOID TRAFFICKING, RELEASE FINAL REPORT OUTLINING ITS KEY FINDINGS AND PROPOSALS

Press Release

Today, Chairman Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), joined Commission Chairs Congressman David Trone (D-Md.) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), alongside Congressman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), released the final report of the U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking. Established by the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act, the Commission was charged with examining aspects of the synthetic drug threat to the United States.

The Commission comprised representatives of seven Executive Branch departments and agencies, four sitting members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and four subject-matter experts chosen for their deep experience and expertise on this topic.

The final report serves as a bipartisan, strategic approach to combating the flow of synthetic opioids into the United States -- with an overarching goal of reducing the number of overdose deaths from these drugs.

Since 1999, more than one million Americans have died from drug overdoses -- far more than all of the US service members killed in battle in every war throughout our nation's history. The number of our citizens lost to opioids each year is more than double the number killed by firearms, motor vehicle accidents, or suicide.

Synthetic opioids -- primarily fentanyl -- were responsible for nearly two-thirds of the over 100,000 reported drug overdose deaths in the United States in the 12-month period ending in June 2021. According to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, this rate is up 30% from the year prior.

Throughout the Commission's work, it has become abundantly clear that this cannot be narrowly defined as a local- or state-level public health concern. In 2018, it was estimated that overdose fatalities cost the United States $696 billion. With the rise in overdose deaths in years since, it is fair to estimate that fatal overdoses are now at least a $1 trillion annual cost. Given this demonstrated financial strain and its devastating human impact, it is undeniable that the epidemic presents a threat to our national security and global competitiveness.

The report outlines a host of evidence-based, data-driven proposals to implement a nationwide and coordinated approach to this crisis, including efforts to:

Establish strategies to reduce demand, such as increasing prevention resources and access to treatment, as central priorities in the fight against opioid trafficking;
Develop a unified, central body to coordinate planning, implementation, and evaluation of all U.S. drug control policies;
Disrupt drug supply through targeted oversight and enforcement;
Collaborate with other countries involved in the production and distribution of synthetic opioids and their chemical precursors;
Improve data collection and analysis to allow for more timely and effective responses on the ground in our communities.
Click here to read the full report.

"The final report of the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking will serve as a roadmap to stanch the flow of illicit fentanyl into the United States, and be our guide as we work to save lives and rebuild communities across the country," said Senator Edward J. Markey. "This report is not the end of our work, but merely the beginning, particularly here on Capitol Hill. Now, we must follow through with comprehensive legislation to implement the report's recommendations."

"Since 1999, we've lost more than one million Americans to drug overdoses. That's one million moms, dads, sons, and daughters lost because our country's response to the opioid epidemic has failed," said Congressman David Trone, Co-Chair of the Commission. "It's time to come together, from all levels of government and both sides of the aisle, to address this epidemic and put an end to it once and for all. The Commission's informed proposals must serve as a roadmap for our country's leadership, including Congress, to take swift, deliberate action in the months to come. Let's get to work."

"274 Americans die every day from drug overdoses--that's one person every five minutes, and every day it gets worse," said Senator Tom Cotton, Co-Chair of the Commission. "We must destroy the cartels and drug trafficking networks that flood our streets with these poisons to protect our communities. I'm proud to work with my colleagues to combat this epidemic at all levels of government."

"The scourge of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids is tearing apart communities throughout Michigan and across the country. Families have been through unspeakable suffering as loved ones struggle with addiction," said Congressman Fred Upton. "In my district, I have met with grieving parents whose grief is unbearable for them. We must redouble our efforts to secure the border against illegal trafficking by targeting Mexican cartels flooding our streets with illicit opioids and force China's hand to crackdown on their pharmaceutical industry supplying cartels with the base compounds used to manufacture synthetic opioids. I was proud to be a part of this Commission and hope to take what's in this report and put it into action."

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