I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8210 
To designate methamphetamine as an emerging threat, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 
Mr. COX of California (for himself, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. TRONE, Mr. SAN NICO-
LAS, and Mr. CASE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To designate methamphetamine as an emerging threat, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Methamphetamine Re-
sponse Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Methamphetamine poses a significant public 
health and safety threat and qualifies as an emerg-
ing drug threat, as defined in section 702 of the Of-
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fice of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization 
Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1701). 
(2) Methamphetamine treatment admissions in-
creased from 15.1 percent of all admissions in 2008 
to 23.6 percent in 2017, the latest year for which 
data is available. 
(3) During the timeframe described in para-
graph (2)— 
(A) methamphetamine-related treatment 
admissions among women increased from 19.2 
percent of all drug-related treatment admissions 
to 28.3 percent; and 
(B) heroin use among those admitted for 
methamphetamine-related treatment increased 
from 5.3 percent to 23.6 percent. 
(4) By the end of 2019, methamphetamine 
availability, use, purity, and potency had increased 
nationally, as street-level prices declined. 
(5) Methamphetamine use is a nationwide issue. 
Its use remains widespread in Midwest and Western 
States and is becoming increasingly prevalent in 
Northeastern States. 
(6) Methamphetamine is the drug most often 
associated with violent crime. 
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(7) According to the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention— 
(A) between 2018 and 2019, drug overdose 
deaths involving methamphetamine and other 
stimulants increased by 27 percent nationally; 
(B) the number of deaths described in sub-
paragraph (A) increased in 27 of the 38 States 
that provide drug-specific overdose data to the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 
and 
(C) between January 2019 and January 
2020, among 36 States and the District of Co-
lumbia, suspected stimulant overdoses, includ-
ing methamphetamine, treated in emergency de-
partments increased by 23 percent. 
(8) Methamphetamine-related overdose deaths 
will likely continue to increase in 2020, due in part 
to the ongoing COVID–19 pandemic, which makes 
obtaining treatment for substance use disorders, in-
cluding methamphetamine use, more difficult. 
(9) The increase in methamphetamine use and 
the negative respiratory and pulmonary health ef-
fects associated with its use has caused the National 
Institute on Drug Abuse to warn clinicians to be 
prepared to monitor adverse effects when treating 
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individuals using methamphetamine who also have 
COVID–19. 
(10) Since the onset of COVID–19 in the 
United States, the number of law enforcement and 
first responder agencies entering data into nation-
wide overdose mapping applications to track real- 
time suspected overdoses, including methamphet-
amine overdoses, has increased. 
(11) In the first 9 months of fiscal year 2020, 
there was a 52-percent increase in the amount of 
methamphetamine seized by U.S. Customs and Bor-
der Protection. 
(12) Public reports indicated that Mexican car-
tels may be stockpiling money and illicit drugs, in-
cluding methamphetamine, on both sides of the 
Southwest Border and that the Drug Enforcement 
Administration is preparing to respond to any poten-
tial surge in supply. 
(13) Intentional preparation to counter any 
surges in production, distribution, and use are essen-
tial in lowering methamphetamine-related overdose 
deaths and substance use disorders. 
SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF EMERGING THREAT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Congress declares methamphet-
amine an emerging drug threat, as defined in section 702 
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of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthor-
ization Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1701), in the United 
States. 
(b) REQUIRED
EMERGING
THREAT
RESPONSE 
PLAN.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Director of the Office of National 
Drug Control Policy shall establish and implement an 
Emerging Threat Response Plan that is specific to meth-
amphetamine in accordance with section 709(d) of the Of-
fice of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act 
of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1708(d)). 
Æ 
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