Lawmakers race to stop 'next fentanyl crisis' with crackdown on nitazenes synthetic opioids
FIRST ON FOX: A trio of Republican senators is introducing a coordinated slate of legislation to crack down on nitazenes — a class of synthetic opioids that are little known...
By Fox News · Fox News
FIRST ON FOX: A trio of Republican senators is introducing a coordinated slate of legislation to crack down on nitazenes — a class of synthetic opioids that are little known to the public but increasingly viewed by law enforcement and health officials as potentially the next fentanyl-level crisis. Sens. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, and Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania unveiled three new bills aimed at addressing the growing spread of nitazenes through law enforcement, technology and foreign policy measures. The push represents one of the most aggressive congressional efforts yet to get ahead of what experts warn could be a deadly new chapter in America’s opioid epidemic. Schmitt’s Detection Equipment and Technology Evaluation to Counter the Threat of Nitazenes Act of 2025, or DETECT Nitazenes Act, directs the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to develop and deploy new technology capable of detecting trace amounts of nitazenes. The bill also updates the Homeland Security Act to explicitly include nitazenes in federal efforts to identify and disrupt illicit substances. Ricketts and McCormick joined Schmitt and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) in introducing the Nitazene Control Act, which would permanently classify nitazenes as Schedule I controlled substances under federal law — the same category as heroin, fentanyl and LSD. DEADLY DRUG MIX DRIVES STAGGERING RISE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS AMONG SENIORS And in a third measure, Ricketts, Schmitt and McCormick rolled out the Nitazene Sanctions Act, which targets the Chinese supply chain behind the synthetic opioids. The bill would expand sanctions on persons and entities in Communist China that support the manufacturing of nitazenes and require the State and Justice Departments to develop a coordinated strategy to cut off the flow of precursor chemicals into the United States. "Nitazenes could become the next fentanyl crisis if not stopped," Ricketts said. "It’s…