Greg Walden Statement on President Trump Signing Bill into Law to Combat Illicit Fentanyl Use

Statement

Today, Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after President Trump signed the Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act, which extends the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) access to the tools necessary to combat fentanyl-related substances.

"President Donald Trump is following through with his "unyielding commitment' at the State of the Union to combat the opioid crisis," said Walden. "I applaud the President for signing into law this extension of a ban on fentanyl analogues. This gives law enforcement a critical tool in their fight against criminals who can change as little as one molecule to make an illegal fentanyl-related substance legal. With a potential of more than 3,000 fentanyl analogues, the importance of the DEA being able to go after all fentanyl-related substances can't be understated. Synthetic opioids are deadly--in just one year they've claimed 32,000 lives."

Earlier this week, Walden penned an op-ed in The Oregonian calling for renewed efforts to address the stimulant epidemic. Currently, the use of illicit stimulants, like cocaine and meth, is increasing. Tragically, according to a 2017 survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Oregon was ranked second in the nation for methamphetamine use.

You can read Walden's op-ed here.

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