Last Saturday, September 24^th, seven residents of Cuyahoga County died from drug overdoses. These deaths come at a time in which Cuyahoga County is experiencing a drastic increase in drug-related deaths. By the end of the year, the total number of such deaths is expected to rise to over 500, a doubling of the number in 2015. This follows a national trend of increasing drug use, particularly of opioid drugs like heroin, which is used by an estimated 435,000 people. Opioid overdoses kill 78 Americans each day, one person every 19 minutes, for an annual total of 28,000 people. The opioid epidemic is becoming a public health crisis.

Opioids are a class of drugs that relieve pain. They do so by binding to receptors in brain cells, similar to how a key fits into a lock, to reduce the intensity of pain signals. Once they bind to these cells’ receptors, the cells release chemicals like dopamine, which produce a state of relaxation and euphoria. Common opioids include heroin, morphine, and fentanyl. While some, like morphine, have legitimate medical uses, others are dangerous because of their addictive nature and strength. The strongest opioids can result in unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, coma, and even death.

Fentanyl is one such opioid. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, meaning that it is man-made, and it is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. Because of this, drug dealers and manufacturers are lacing their heroin products with fentanyl to produce stronger highs with less actual heroin. This makes these heroin products even more dangerous because fentanyl can be lethal, even in small doses.

Because of this public health crisis, I voted in favor of the Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act of 2016 on Monday, September 26^th. This act adds 22 synthetic drugs to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, recognizing that these synthetic drugs, like other Schedule I drugs, have high potential for abuse and no medicinal purposes in the United States. Three commonly abused versions of fentanyl were added to Schedule I, along with other widely-abused opioids. Because of their addition, the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) now has greater authority to stop these drugs from being sold and distributed on our streets, particularly toward unsuspecting youth.

This is an issue I care deeply about because of its effects on Northeast Ohioans. I have growing concerns over the increase in heroin and opioid abuse, both in Ohio and at the national level. The federal government spends over $25 billion annually on drug control programs, and approximately $10 billion goes toward drug abuse prevention and treatment programs. That is why I previously held a roundtable discussion with Sen. Rob Portman to gather feedback from key stakeholders on what the federal government’s role should be in combating prescription and opioid abuse. I am hopeful that with efforts like the Dangerous Synthetic Drug Control Act, we will be able to lead a coordinated response to this epidemic at the federal, state, and local level and make our communities drug free. 

If you need any additional information, please visit my website at renacci.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-3876, Wadsworth office: (330) 334-0040, or Parma office: (440) 882-6779.  I also encourage you to subscribe to my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube pages to get updates on my work in Washington and the 16th District.