III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 692 

Supporting the mission and goals of National Fentanyl Awareness Day in 

2024, including increasing individual and public awareness of the impact 

of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills on families and young people. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 15, 2024 

Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Ms. BUTLER, Mr. CRAMER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. 

RUBIO, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO, Mr. DAINES, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. 

HAGERTY, Mr. MORAN, Mr. BENNET, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. BROWN, Ms. 

ROSEN, Ms. SINEMA, Mr. CASEY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. 

RISCH, Mr. MARKEY, Ms. WARREN, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. KELLY, Mr. 

KING, Mr. COONS, Mr. YOUNG, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, 

Mr. TESTER, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. 

WARNOCK, Mrs. BRITT, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. MANCHIN, 

Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. GRAHAM, and Ms. CANTWELL) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the mission and goals of National Fentanyl 

Awareness Day in 2024, including increasing individual 

and public awareness of the impact of fake or counterfeit 

fentanyl pills on families and young people. 

Whereas drug traffickers are mass-producing fake or counterfeit pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the people of the United States; 


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•SRES 692 ATS 

Whereas many fake or counterfeit pills are made to look like 

prescription name-brand opioids, stimulants, or anxiety 

medications; 

Whereas drug traffickers are using fake or counterfeit pills 

to exploit prescription drug misuse and the opioid crisis; 

Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration (referred to 

in this preamble as the ‘‘DEA’’) has observed a dramatic 

rise in the number of counterfeit pills containing not less 

than 2 milligrams of fentanyl, which is considered a 

deadly dose; 

Whereas 7 out of every 10 pills with fentanyl tested by the 

DEA contain a potentially lethal dose; 

Whereas counterfeit pills may also contain fentanyl-related 

substances and methamphetamine; 

Whereas the number of counterfeit pills with fentanyl seized 

by law enforcement agencies in 2023 was 79,500,000, up 

from 58,000,000 pills the year prior; 

Whereas, including the nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl 

powder seized in 2023, total fentanyl seizures are equivalent to more than 376,700,000 lethal doses of fentanyl; 

Whereas fake or counterfeit pills have been identified in all 

50 States and the District of Columbia; 

Whereas illicit fentanyl has also been detected in illicit drugs 

such as heroin, cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy and molly), and 

methamphetamine; 

Whereas, for the 12-month period ending in November 2023, 

more than 109,000 individuals in the United States died 

of drug-induced deaths, and more than 76,000 of those 

deaths involved illicit fentanyl and other synthetic 

opioids; 


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•SRES 692 ATS 

Whereas, over the last 20 years, drug-induced deaths among 

individuals 15 to 35 years of age have increased 5-fold, 

largely driven by the increase in illicit fentanyl drugs; 

Whereas, for the 12-month period ending in June 2023, illicit 

fentanyl was involved in more deaths of individuals 55 

years of age and under than any single other cause; 

Whereas fake counterfeit pills are easily accessible and often 

sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, making 

them accessible to teens and youth; 

Whereas illicit fentanyl is involved in more deaths of youths 

than all other drug types combined; 

Whereas, between 2019 and 2021, drug overdose and poisoning deaths for individuals 14 to 18 years of age increased by 128 percent, a rate of increase which was 77 

percentage points higher than the national rate and higher than the rate for any other 5-year age group; 

Whereas, between 2019 and 2021, the number of deaths involving illicit fentanyl in drug overdose and poisoning 

deaths for individuals 14 to 18 years of age increased by 

236 percent, a rate of increase which was 141 percentage 

points higher than the national rate and higher than the 

rate for any other 5-year age group over the age of 15; 

Whereas, since 2021, the annual number of drug overdose 

and poisoning deaths and those deaths involving illicit 

fentanyl in drug overdose and poisoning deaths for individuals 14 to 18 years of age has increased; 

Whereas, in the 12-month period ending June 2023, illicit 

fentanyl was involved in 81 percent of drug-induced 

deaths of individuals between 14 and 23 years of age, 

compared to 70 percent of drug-induced deaths of individuals of all ages; 


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•SRES 692 ATS 

Whereas, at the end of 2022, only 48 percent of youth and 

36 percent of teens in the United States were aware that 

fentanyl is being used to create counterfeit pills; 

Whereas, at the end of 2022, only 40 percent of youth and 

31 percent of teens considered themselves knowledgeable 

about fentanyl; and 

Whereas, in 2022, there were 73,838 reported overdose 

deaths involving illicit fentanyl and other synthetic 

opioids: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the recognition and goals of Na3 tional Fentanyl Awareness Day, which include in4 creasing individual and public awareness of the im5 pact of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills on families 

6 and young people; 

7 (2) applauds the work of Federal, State, and 

8 local law enforcement agencies that work to combat 

9 the proliferation of counterfeit pills; 

10 (3) encourages the use of existing authorities to 

11 proactively stop and prevent the spread of illicit 

12 counterfeit pills; and 

13 (4) designates May 7, 2024, as ‘‘National 

14 Fentanyl Awareness Day’’. 

Æ 


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