“Preliminary data from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources shows that fentanyl and fentanyl analogues were involved in approximately 82% of all drug overdose deaths in West Virginia in 2023. These deadly substances are flowing into our communities from China and across our southern border, and criminals know that they can get around existing law by slightly changing the chemical makeup of a drug while still having the same negative effect on the human body. This legislation will allow for law enforcement to crack down on synthetic drugs and save lives.”