Tell Congress: We Need a Health Approach to Fentanyl-Related Substances and Xylazine

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a proposal to counter fentanyl and synthetic drugs with a failed drug war approach. It would permanently designate fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs, and xylazine as a Schedule III drug, on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This would create severe criminal penalties for people struggling with addiction, and block research that could lead to lifesaving overdose interventions.

Permanently scheduling these drugs is a dangerous step in the wrong direction. As we’ve seen time and time again, a rush to criminalize and double down on failed drug war policies will only increase overdose deaths and other harms. In fact, fentanyl-related substances have been criminalized at the federal level since 2018, but overdose rates have only increased since then: from 67,367 overdose deaths in 2018 to 107,941 in 2022.

We need a health approach to drugs and the overdose crisis, not more punishment. Tell your representatives to oppose the proposed scheduling of FRS and xylazine and follow the evidence, fighting instead for the health-based solutions that will save lives.

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Dear Representative/Senator,

Message Body

As a concerned constituent, I urge you to oppose permanently designating fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I drugs and xylazine as a Schedule III drug on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as proposed in the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Detect and Defeat” Counter-Fentanyl Proposal.

I want my loved ones and my community to be safe, but permanently scheduling fentanyl-related substances and xylazine may actually increase overdose deaths. While fentanyl-related substances have been criminalized at the federal level since 2018, overdose rates have only increased in that period, from 67,367 overdose deaths in 2018 to 107,941 in 2022. And we know state-level xylazine bans haven’t worked.

The truth is that most people aren’t seeking these substances. Prohibition has created a toxic and unknown drug supply that contains them, and it’s putting lives at risk.

More research into FRS and xylazine could save lives. Instead of permanently placing these drugs on the CSA and barring potential research, Congress needs to invest federal resources into research. This could uncover medications to help treat people with substance use disorder and prevent overdose deaths involving these drugs.

Permanently placing FRS and xylazine on the CSA would only continue the harms of prohibition and criminalization. This proposal is not supported by science, and would be a barrier to finding medical treatments and innovations. We need a health approach to drugs and the overdose crisis, not more punishment.

I urge you to pass legislation that utilizes evidence-based health approaches to the overdose crisis that are proven to work, such as the TEST Act, the Stop Fentanyl Overdoses Act, The Reentry Act, the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, and the CARE Act.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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