Boebert pushes to classify fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction

Illicit fentanyl will be classified as a weapon of mass destruction in the United States if a bill introduced by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) on Monday is enacted.

The legislation would allow the departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Defense, as well as the Drug Enforcement Agency, to coordinate efforts to “eliminate the threat posed by this deadly substance,” the Colorado Republican told Fox News. The bill mirrors similar efforts proposed under the Trump administration in 2019 that sought to expand the number of agencies responding to fentanyl crises beyond just the DHS.

“The saddest thing about the fentanyl crisis is that it is preventable,” Boebert said. “National security experts know that the vast majority of deadly fentanyl plaguing our communities comes across the southern border.”

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The newly introduced legislation would increase resources for technology developments to create sensors that detect fentanyl, as well as assist Border Patrol agents in stopping drug smuggling at the border, Boebert said. The bill would not target legally prescribed medical fentanyl, such as Botox.

“Just last year, Border Patrol encountered enough fentanyl at the border to kill every American seven times over,” Boebert said. “There is no way around it — the Biden Border Crisis is killing Americans. It is time to call fentanyl what it is: a weapon of mass destruction that is destroying our nation.”

The legislation has nine co-sponsors, all Republicans, and would have to be cleared by the House and Senate before being considered by President Joe Biden.

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Border Patrol agents seized more than 11,000 pounds of fentanyl at the border in fiscal year 2021, according to the agency. Most fentanyl is transported into the U.S. from China and Mexico, with India emerging as another source, according to data from the DEA.

Fentanyl overdoses have risen to become the leading cause of death for adults ages 18 to 45, according to government data. Roughly 107,622 people died from drug overdoses in 2021, a nearly 15% increase from the year before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.