I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4272 
To provide public awareness and outreach regarding the dangers of fentanyl, 
to expand the grants authorized under the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse 
Grant Program, to expand treatment and recovery services for people 
with opioid addictions, and to increase and to provide enhanced penalties 
for certain offenses involving counterfeit pills. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 22, 2023 
Ms. JACKSON LEE (for herself, Mr. NADLER, Mr. EVANS, Mr. ESPAILLAT, 
Mr. IVEY, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. ROSS, Ms. CROCKETT, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, 
Mr. COHEN, Mrs. CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. 
DOGGETT, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. MFUME, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. 
NEGUSE, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. 
CLEAVER, Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE, Mrs. SYKES, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. SE-
WELL, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mrs. 
MCBATH, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. ROBERT
GARCIA
of California, Mr. 
THANEDAR, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. GRI-
JALVA, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CARSON, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. LEE of California, 
Mr. MEEKS, Mr. LIEU, Mr. BOWMAN, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. 
SHERMAN, and Ms. BROWN) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide public awareness and outreach regarding the dan-
gers of fentanyl, to expand the grants authorized under 
the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program, to ex-
pand treatment and recovery services for people with 
opioid addictions, and to increase and to provide en-
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hanced penalties for certain offenses involving counterfeit 
pills. 
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 ‘‘Stop Fentanyl Now 
Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The United States is in the midst of the 
worst opioid epidemic in history. 
(2) Illicit fentanyl is typically mixed into heroin 
or pressed into counterfeit pills made to look like 
controlled prescription drugs such as oxycodone, 
hydrocodone, and Xanax. 
(3) From September 29 through December 15, 
2021, the DEA seized more than 1,500 pounds of 
substances containing fentanyl and 8.4 million 
fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills. The seizures 
were directly linked to at least 39 overdose deaths 
and included at least 76 cases that involved buying 
and selling drugs on social media apps. Over the 
course of that year, the DEA seized over 15,000 
pounds of substances containing fentanyl and 20.4 
million fake pills, with roughly four out of every 10 
pills containing lethal doses of fentanyl. 
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(4) 
The 
widespread 
availability 
of 
illicit 
fentanyl, the proliferation of counterfeit pills resem-
bling prescription drugs but containing illicit 
fentanyl or other illicit drugs, and the ease of pur-
chasing pills through social media have increased 
fatal overdose risk among adolescents. 
(5) According to the Centers for Disease Con-
trol, overdose deaths reached a historic high of more 
than 90,000 drug overdose deaths in 2020, a 31 
percent increase compared with the previous year 
and in 2021, there were more than 106,000 reported 
drug overdose deaths in the U.S., with deaths involv-
ing synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) numbering 
70,601. 
(6) Between 2019 and 2021, more than 2,200 
adolescents overdosed, 96 percent of whom were be-
tween the ages of 15 and 19. Fentanyl was involved 
in 84 percent of the deaths. While counterfeit pill 
evidence was present in 25 percent of adolescent 
overdose deaths, this is likely an underestimate be-
cause pills present at the scenes of the overdose 
deaths were not always tested. 
(7) Many overdose deaths are preventable with 
public health interventions such as education, harm 
reduction, and treatment access. 
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(8) Public education campaigns can teach teen-
agers, parents, and others on the dangers of 
fentanyl and counterfeit pills and educating individ-
uals on mitigating practices can be beneficial, in-
cluding emphasis on not initiating drug use, not 
using drugs while alone, using fentanyl test strips, 
and having overdose reversal drugs readily available. 
(9) Opioid antagonists, such as naloxone, can 
be used during emergencies to reverse opioid 
overdoses and are effective at preventing fatal drug 
overdoses. 
(10) The Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention reported that despite an increase in prescrip-
tions for emergency opioid antagonists, not enough 
of the medication is getting into the hands of those 
who need it most. 
(11) Expanding access to emergency opioid an-
tagonists and encouraging people to obtain emer-
gency opioid antagonists are in the best interest of 
the health and safety of the public. 
(12) Increasing access to medications like meth-
adone and buprenorphine that effectively treat opioid 
use disorder can save lives. 
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(13) Greater access to drug detection tools such 
as fentanyl strips are a low-cost method of helping 
prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm. 
SEC. 3. COMPREHENSIVE OPIOID ABUSE GRANT PROGRAM. 
Section 3021 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control 
and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10701(a)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(11) Developing, implementing, or expanding a 
program that provides training and resources for 
teachers and other school officials in public or pri-
vate middle schools, high schools, institutions of 
higher education (as such term is defined in section 
101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965), or area 
career and technical education schools (as such term 
is defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career 
and Technical Education Act of 2006) on— 
‘‘(A) carrying and administering an opioid 
overdose reversal drug or device approved or 
cleared by the Food and Drug Administration; 
or 
‘‘(B) acquiring such a drug or device for 
teachers and other school officials who have re-
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ceived such training to so carry and administer 
such a drug or device.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) PREFERENTIAL CONSIDERATION.—In awarding 
grants under this part, the Attorney General may give 
preferential consideration to an application from an appli-
cant in a State that— 
‘‘(1) has in effect a law that exempts from 
criminal and civil liability teachers and other school 
officials who carry or administer in good faith an 
opioid overdose reversal drug or device approved or 
cleared by the Food and Drug Administration if 
trained to carry or administer such drug or device; 
or 
‘‘(2) has in effect a law that exempts from 
criminal or civil liability the possession, sale, or pur-
chase of fentanyl drug testing equipment, including 
fentanyl test strips.’’. 
SEC. 4. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF FENTANYL- 
LACED SUBSTANCE USE. 
(a) PREVENTION.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, in consultation with the Attorney Gen-
eral, shall develop and implement a national strategy to 
prevent the use of fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, 
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and fentanyl-laced substances. The strategy shall include 
the following elements: 
(1) Education and outreach to the public about 
the dangers of fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, 
and fentanyl-laced substances. 
(2) Development of treatment programs for in-
dividuals who are addicted to fentanyl and fentanyl- 
related substances. 
(b) TREATMENT.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall provide grants to States and local-
ities to support the development and implementation of 
treatment programs for individuals who are addicted to 
fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances. 
SEC. 5. ENHANCED LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. 
(a) INCREASED RESOURCES.—The Attorney General 
shall increase the resources available to law enforcement 
agencies to combat the trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl- 
related substances, and fentanyl-laced substances. The At-
torney General shall prioritize the following activities: 
(1) Investigation and prosecution of individuals 
who traffic fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, and 
fentanyl-laced substances. 
(2) Disruption of the supply chain for fentanyl, 
fentanyl-related substances, and fentanyl-laced sub-
stances. 
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(3) Prevention of the importation of fentanyl, 
fentanyl-related substances, and fentanyl-laced sub-
stances into the United States. 
(b) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.—The Attorney 
General shall establish an interagency task force to coordi-
nate the efforts of Federal, State, and local law enforce-
ment agencies to combat the trafficking of fentanyl, 
fentanyl-related substances, and fentanyl-laced sub-
stances. 
SEC. 6. RESEARCH. 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
conduct research on the following topics: 
(1) The effects of fentanyl, fentanyl-related 
substances, and fentanyl-laced substances on human 
health. 
(2) The development of new treatments for in-
dividuals who are addicted to fentanyl and fentanyl- 
related substances. 
(3) The best practices for preventing the use of 
fentanyl, fentanyl-related substances, and fentanyl- 
laced substances. 
SEC. 7. INCREASE IN PUNISHMENT. 
Section 303(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cos-
metic Act (21 U.S.C. 333(a)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
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‘‘(9)(A) Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), any 
person who violates subsection (a), (b), (c), or (g) of 
section 301 with respect to any drug, if such viola-
tion results in— 
‘‘(i) serious bodily injury, shall be impris-
oned not more than 10 years, fined not more 
than $1,000,000, or both; or 
‘‘(ii) death, shall be imprisoned for any 
term of years or for life, fined not more than 
$5,000,000, or both. 
‘‘(B) Notwithstanding subsection (a)(2), any 
person who violates subsection (a), (b), (c), or (g) of 
section 301 with respect to any drug with the intent 
to defraud or mislead, if such violation results in— 
‘‘(i) serious bodily injury, shall be impris-
oned not more than 20 years, fined not more 
than $5,000,000, or both; or 
‘‘(ii) death, shall be imprisoned for any 
term of years or for life, fined not more than 
$10,000,000, or both. 
‘‘(C) Any person who violates subsection (a), 
(b), (c), or (g) of section 301 with respect to any 
drug promoted or sold online shall, in addition to the 
punishment provided for such violation, be sentenced 
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to a term of imprisonment of not more than 5 
years.’’. 
SEC. 8. EXCLUSION OF FENTANYL DRUG TESTING EQUIP-
MENT FROM TREATMENT AS ‘‘DRUG PARA-
PHERNALIA’’. 
Section 422(f) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 
U.S.C. 863(f)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) the possession, sale, or purchase of 
fentanyl drug testing equipment, including fentanyl 
test strips.’’. 
SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that fentanyl deaths 
should be addressed by— 
(1) increasing funding for prevention and treat-
ment programs, including— 
(A) programs that provide education and 
treatment for people who are at risk of opioid 
addiction or overdose; and 
(B) school-based programs, community 
outreach programs, and treatment centers; 
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(2) expanding access to naloxone (a medication 
that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose) 
such as by making naloxone available over-the- 
counter or by providing subsidies for its purchase; 
(3) cracking down on the trafficking of 
fentanyl, including— 
(A) increased efforts both domestically and 
internationally; 
(B) increased funding for law enforcement 
agencies; 
(C) increased penalties for fentanyl traf-
ficking; and 
(D) working with other countries to stop 
the flow of fentanyl across borders; 
(4) improving data collection and analysis, in-
cluding the improvement of Federal data collection 
and analysis on fentanyl deaths, to better under-
stand the scope of the problem and identify effective 
prevention and treatment strategies; and 
(5) supporting research on new treatment op-
tions, including— 
(A) support for research on new treatment 
options for opioid addiction and overdose; and 
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(B) funding for research on new medica-
tions, new delivery methods, and new ap-
proaches to treatment. 
Æ 
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