Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) have introduced the Nitazene Control Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at classifying all nitazenes as Schedule I substances under the Controlled Substances Act. The legislation is designed to address gaps in current law that allow traffickers to evade enforcement by making minor chemical changes to these drugs.
Other sponsors of the bill include Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jeane Shaheen (D-NH), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Ashley Moody (R-FL). The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association has endorsed the measure. In the House of Representatives, similar legislation was introduced by Michael Baumgartner (R-WA) and Eugene Vindman (D-VA).
Senator McCormick emphasized the urgency of the issue, stating: “The fact that nitazenes are oftentimes more deadly than fentanyl, which killed nearly 4,000 Pennsylvanians last year alone, should be a wakeup call to us all. We need to take immediate action to close loopholes, crack down on traffickers, and ensure that these deadly narcotics do not cause the same devastation that we saw with fentanyl. I’m proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to keep our communities safe.”
Senator Gallego highlighted concerns for Arizona families: “Families across Arizona have already been torn apart by the opioid and fentanyl epidemic, and now nitazenes threaten to make this crisis even worse. These synthetic opioids are stronger and deadlier than fentanyl, and they are starting to be abused more frequently. The Nitazene Control Act will give law enforcement the tools they need to keep these drugs out of our communities and save lives. I’m proud to support this bipartisan bill to protect Arizona families from the next wave of the opioid epidemic.”
Senator Ricketts addressed prevention efforts: “We must target nitazenes before they become the next drug epidemic. These illicit drugs are extremely potent and difficult to detect. We have the capability to prevent their flow into our country. We just need to follow the blueprint set by our efforts to counter fentanyl. That’s why I worked with my colleagues to introduce the Nitazene Control Act. It follows the model of the HALT Fentanyl Act. This bill will give law enforcement the authority they need to combat this new threat.”
Senator Schmitt added: “The extreme potency of nitazenes, which are deadlier than fentanyl, is deeply alarming and requires immediate action. The Nitazene Control Act will crack down on the flow of nitazenes by permanently designating them as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, closing loopholes traffickers exploit and giving law enforcement the tools they need to go after this deadly drug.”
Senator Shaheen commented on local impact: “In New Hampshire, we’ve already lost far too many lives due to synthetic opioids, so it’s very concerning to know that nitazenes, which are even deadlier than fentanyl, are in our communities. We need to do everything possible to get nitazenes off our streets. I’m glad to join my colleagues on this bipartisan legislation that will give our law enforcement the tools they need to stop these synthetic opioids from flowing into our communities and save lives.”
Senator Moody noted her prior actions in Florida: “As the former Attorney General of Florida, I signed an emergency rule adding deadly nitazene compounds to the Schedule I controlled substance list and worked with the state legislature to make that ban permanent. Now as Florida’s newest U.S. Senator, I am taking this fight to the federal level by introducing the Nitazine Control Act with my colleagues that will extend this ban nationwide. These lethal synthetic opioid compounds pose an enormous threat to Americans, and this critical bill will help us save lives.”
Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association National President Mathew Silverman praised congressional leaders for their efforts: “Our nation’s law enforcement officers are on the front lines of the opioid crisis every day, and nitazenes represent one of the most dangerous emerging threats we face. The Nitazene Control Act provides a vital tool to help keep these deadly synthetic opioids off our streets and out of our communities,” he said.“We commend Senators McCormick, Gallego, Ricketts, Shaheen, Schmitt, Slotkin,and Moody for their leadership and foresight in introducing this bipartisan legislation.By taking a class-wide approach,the yare ensuring that traffickers can’t exploit chemical loopholes to evade prosecution.This proactive measure strengthens public safety,powers law enforcement,and ultimately saves lives.”
Nitazenes are a group of synthetic opioids developed in 1950s but never approved for medical use; some forms can be up to 40 times stronger than fentanyl—a substance responsible for thousands of overdose deaths annually in states such as Pennsylvania—according to public health officials nationwide.
Their presence has increased recently within counterfeit pills or mixed into other illegal substances,resulting in rising overdose fatalities.Detection remains challenging since routine tests rarely look specifically for nitazenes.Trafficking organizations based overseas continue exploiting weaknesses in regulatory oversight,making chemical modifications designed specifically to bypass current scheduling rules.
The Drug Enforcement Administration had scheduled several variants as either temporary or permanent Schedule I substances,but new unscheduled forms continue appearing.Nitazenes’ evolving chemistry complicates federal responses,and lawmakers cite recent DEA actions as evidence additional measures like those proposed in Congress may be needed.
Earlier this year Senator McCormick also introduced other bills focused on curbing illicit synthetic narcotics trafficking—such as initiatives improving federal coordination against international suppliers—as well as cosponsoring legislation targeting detection technology upgrades.
