Senator Coons, colleagues mark National Fentanyl Awareness Day

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) introduced a resolution designating May 7, 2024 as National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The bipartisan effort aims to raise awareness and educate the public regarding the dangers posed by counterfeit fentanyl pills.

"Drugs like fentanyl and xylazine have devastated families across Delaware, especially as suspected drug overdoses in Sussex County and Kent County have spiked," said Senator Coons. "This bipartisan resolution underscores the Senate's determination to confront the opioid crisis head-on and educate the public about the extreme threat that fentanyl poses to our community."

"Counterfeit pills are fueling devastating health crises in our communities," said Senator Grassley. "Our resolution to drive awareness of these deadly fentanyl pills is a signal the Senate stands unified in its efforts to put an end to the deadly drug."

"In my home state of California, fentanyl overdoses are behind one in five deaths of people aged 15 to 24," said Senator Butler. "This resolution aims to raise public awareness on the dangers of fentanyl use, and bring attention to the work that is being done at all levels of government to address this public health emergency. As we work to combat the spread of this harmful drug, we stand in solidarity with the families and communities who have borne the brunt of this epidemic."

Senator Coons has emerged as a leader in the fight against the ongoing fentanyl crisis. Last year, he introduced the bipartisan Fentanyl Safe Testing and Overdose Prevention Act with Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), which aims to prevent deaths from fentanyl poisoning by increasing access to fentanyl test strips. Senator Coons also hosted a Senate Law Enforcement Caucus roundtable this year with Senator Cornyn to hear on-the-ground perspectives on the fentanyl and xylazine crises from Delaware and Texas and discuss ways to support law enforcement and public health officials.

Senator Coons, Grassley, and Butler are joined by Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

Background:

• Drug overdose deaths have surged in recent years, with 109,000 recorded deaths over a 12-month period from November 2022 to November 2023. The Drug Enforcement Administration in 2023 seized more than 79.5 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills, up 37% from 2022. The agency estimates 70% of these laced pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
• Drug traffickers often market counterfeit fentanyl pills to young Americans through social media. Illicit fentanyl is involved in more youth deaths than all other drug types combined. At the end of 2022, only 48% of American youth were aware of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.

The full text of the resolution can be found here.

Senator Coons is Co-Chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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