Bill > SCR1

This resolution urges the 119th United States Congress to introduce and pass legislation similar to the Stop Our Scourge Act of 2023, which would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The resolution provides context about the severe dangers of fentanyl, highlighting that it is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin and has become the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. The document notes that while pharmaceutical fentanyl is legally prescribed for pain management, illicit fentanyl is increasingly being mixed into various drugs, making it extremely dangerous and difficult to detect. The resolution cites alarming statistics, including that synthetic opioid overdose deaths were estimated at 74,702 in 2023, and that U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized over 21,000 pounds of illicit fentanyl in the 2024 fiscal year, representing an 800% increase in seizures since 2019. By urging this designation, the resolution aims to draw attention to the critical public health and national security threat posed by illicit fentanyl.

Military Affairs and Security, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/scr1