NEVADA – As the fentanyl crisis continues to claim the lives of thousands of Americans each year, Nevada lawmakers are stepping up to the plate by sponsoring a range of bills aimed at addressing the selling of this deadly drug.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a staggering 90% of illicit fentanyl comes from China, which acts as a supplier to Mexico. In response, Nevada lawmakers are taking decisive action to tackle this epidemic, which has become a leading cause of drug overdose deaths across the country.

One such lawmaker is Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, who introduced a bill to impose longer prison sentences for possessing smaller amounts of drugs. This represents a shift in policy for states that have in recent years rolled back drug possession penalties.

Meanwhile, Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto is co-sponsoring a new bipartisan bill called the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Tim Scott (S.C.). This legislation seeks to crack down on transnational drug trafficking schemes and strengthen current laws by directing the Treasury Department to target, sanction, and block the financial assets of criminal organizations that facilitate illicit opioid trafficking.

The FEND Off Fentanyl Act would also help stop the flow of deadly fentanyl into Nevada communities by deterring traffickers and manufacturers from funding their criminal enterprises. The legislation would allow the Treasury to sanction members of transnational organizations, take their property, forfeit those assets, and put them toward law enforcement efforts.

“These drug organizations profit off of selling fentanyl in our communities. They take that money, they put it in banks or they buy big cars or they buy property, this last treasury to sanction those banks take that money,” said Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto. “This legislation will allow us to take decisive action against those who seek to profit from this deadly drug and put an end to the fentanyl crisis.”

As the deadly toll of fentanyl continues to rise across the country, it is heartening to see lawmakers taking meaningful steps to address this crisis. By cracking down on drug trafficking and investing in law enforcement, Nevada is leading the way in the fight against fentanyl.

Credits: Fox Reno

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