Opioid Enforcement Effort

With more than 84,000 Americans dying annually from prescription drug and synthetic opioid overdoses,1 the Department of Justice is committed to using every available tool to prevent overdose deaths and hold accountable those responsible for the opioid crisis. The Consumer Protection Branch is on the front lines of the Department’s fight. The Branch is pursuing both criminal and civil actions against wrongdoing entities and individuals up and down the prescription opioid supply chain. The Branch is also pursuing both criminal and civil matters targeting companies involved in the manufacture and distribution of chemicals and equipment being used to create counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.

The Branch is aided in its work by its expertise in enforcing the Controlled Substances Act and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as its experience with complicated and multi-district litigation. The Branch’s strong relationships with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Criminal Division, the DEA, and FDA also position it well to coordinate actions and advise Department leadership on policies and initiatives. Through dedicated effort, the Consumer Protection Branch aims to help stem the opioid crisis by ensuring that opioids are not diverted and abused.

Know Your Resources

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Opioid Medications
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):  Drug Overdose Information
• National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Drug Enforcement Administration:  DEA Diversion Control

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^{1 Scholl, Kariisa, Wilson, and Baldwin. Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2013–2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;67:1419–1427, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm675152e1}

^{2 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/202205.htm}