Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3537, the Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2016. I want to specifically acknowledge Congressman Dent from Pennsylvania and Congressman Katko from New York for their tireless leadership on this issue and the teamwork it took to get this bill through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and to the floor today.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the DEA, abuse and misuse of designer synthetic drugs is an ongoing threat to public health and safety. These chemical compounds are often designed in overseas laboratories to mimic the effects of illicit drugs and known controlled substances. Criminals who develop and market them in communities across our country have been able to stay one step ahead of the DEA since--while they are designed to closely resemble controlled substances--they are not currently scheduled.

H.R. 3537 will add 22 such compounds to schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, immediately strengthening the DEA's ability to take swift action and get them off our streets. The compounds on this list include those that are marketed as K2, or Spice, as well as fentanyl derivatives estimated to be 100 times more powerful than morphine and linked to many overdoses and deaths.

In addition to the DEA, I would like to thank the Office of National Drug Control Policy, FDA, NIH, and those in the research community who helped review and revise this list of synthetics as part of the legislative process.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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