Letter to Hon. Anne Milgram, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency - Senator Hassan Calls on the DEA to Combat Rise in Counterfeit, Dangerous Drugs
Letter
Dear Administrator Anne Milgram:
I am reaching out regarding the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) alarming alert on the
rise of dangerous drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine disguised as legitimate
prescription drugs, and the recent reporting that DEA has seized 9.5 million counterfeit pills this
year.
As you know, the substance misuse crisis has devastated communities across New Hampshire. I
have also heard from law enforcement that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to more drug
trafficking through the dark web. This, among numerous other factors, has made it easier for
illicit drugs to evade law enforcement and fuel the substance misuse crisis we have seen across
our state.
That is why the rise in the masquerading of fentanyl and methamphetamine into seemingly
harmless pills is deeply disturbing and threatens the public health and safety of Granite Staters. A
recent report from WMUR News 9 cites DEA Associate Special Agent Jon DeLena who
describes the issue as one that "keeps me awake at night" because of its "softer approach that
they are taking by coming at them with pills, pills that many of us have in our homes." The
reporter also detailed how some drug traffickers are using social media to encourage teens who
may be struggling with anxiety or stress to buy so-called medication that could be laced with
fentanyl or methamphetamine. Additionally, the report notes that the Rockingham County
Sheriff's Office recently seized 9,000 fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone.
The administration must take further action to address the substance misuse crisis and this
dangerous rise in counterfeit drugs. I request information on what additional steps the DEA is
taking to combat this new dimension in the fight against substance misuse and what additional
action you may need from Congress to be successful in cracking down on this. Thank you for
your steadfast work and attention to this critical issue.
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