U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan Welcomes Congress’ Action To Reauthorize Ban on Deadly Fentanyl Analogues

This week Congress passed a bill reauthorizing the temporary ban on deadly fentanyl analogues until May 6, 2021.  Before passage of the bill, DEA’s temporary scheduling of fentanyl analogues was set to expire on February 6, 2020.   The bill—S. 3201, Temporary Reauthorization and Study of the Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act—extends the ban for another 15 months, which will allow for additional study on the potential permanent scheduling of all fentanyl analogues.  In the near term, it allows prosecutors to continue to bring cases against those involved in the distribution of these lethal substances.  The U.S. Attorney community across the country, including U.S. Attorney Nolan, advocated for passage of this bill in recently-published op-ed articles.  

U.S. Attorney Nolan praised the passage of the bill, calling it “an essential step in saving lives and keeping fentanyl analogues — some of the most lethal narcotics in existence — out of Vermont communities.”  She added:  “Law enforcement encounters with fentanyl analogues fell by fifty percent in the wake of DEA’s temporary ban.  The congressional extension of the prohibition will reduce the presence of fentanyl analogues in the country and give prosecutors a critical tool to break up drug trafficking organizations and bring consequences to for-profit dealers.  We thank our U.S. Attorney colleagues in New England for joining our office in supporting the legislation and we continue to hope for a permanent ban on these lethal drugs.”

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years