Pfluger Leads Bipartisan Effort to Crack Down on Synthetic Drug Trafficking

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) led a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing the Stop Importation and Manufacturing of Synthetic Analogues (SIMSA) Act. 

The legislation targets deadly drugs that are substantially similar to already-controlled substances but carefully engineered – often in China or Mexico – to slip into the U.S. undetected, information from Pfluger's office stated. 

Congressman Pfluger was joined by Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Russell Fry (SC-07), and Don Davis (NC-01). The legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

“Drug traffickers are constantly exploiting loopholes in our laws by creating drugs that mimic the effects of controlled substances but are not yet classified as illegal to evade regulation," Rep. Pfluger said. "The SIMSA Act will give law enforcement the tools they need to stay ahead of these criminals and protect our communities from these emerging drug threats. By enhancing the DEA’s ability to respond to these new substances quickly, we are taking a critical step in combating the opioid crisis and other drug-related harms.”

"The federal government needs to be more nimble when it comes to effectively responding to the surge of new synthetic drugs on our streets,” said Rep. Panetta.  “By creating a new Schedule A, we can better target substances designed to evade existing bans and hold drug traffickers accountable. The federal government should take this step and provide this type of tool to help our local law enforcement continue to keep our communities safe."

"I am proud to introduce the Stop Importation and Manufacturing of Synthetic Analogues Act to crack down on the synthetic drugs plaguing our communities across the country,” said Representative Fry. “This legislation will help our law enforcement stop this influx of deadly drugs and ultimately save lives."

"Congress must crack down on illicit narcotics, including fentanyl, to prevent them from evading detection,” said Congressman Don Davis. “We owe it to families across eastern North Carolina and America."

“International drug traffickers are taking advantage of a gap in our laws. This has created a lethal game of ‘whack-a-mole.’ The SIMSA Act sends an explicit message the U.S. is done playing,” Senator Grassley said. “Law enforcement is struggling to keep pace under the inefficient scheduling system we have, and communities are dealing with an unprecedented drug crisis as a result. Our legislation provides much-needed adaptability to get ahead of bad actors and their deadly synthetics.” 

“Communities across New Hampshire have been devastated by fentanyl and other deadly drugs. Fentanyl analogues pose just as severe a threat as fentanyl itself, and criminals have deliberately engineered these drugs to circumvent our laws and evade bans,” Senator Hassan said. “Our bipartisan legislation will provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to crack down on the criminals flooding our streets with these drug analogues. I urge my colleagues to support this effort to protect our communities and save lives, and I will keep working to combat the fentanyl crisis.”

Background: 

U.S. law prohibits the unauthorized use of certain controlled substances. However, illicit drug makers and importers circumvent those laws by altering single atoms in controlled substances to create tweaked drugs that are not yet outlawed, but have similar effects on users. Currently, uncontrolled substances must undergo a time-consuming analysis before the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) can permanently schedule them. 

The SIMSA Act allows DEA to assign substances as Schedule A if (1) their chemical structure is substantially similar to a controlled substance and (2) they are expected to have the same or greater effect on the human body. The bill subjects individuals who manufacture, export and import these uncontrolled substances to the criminal penalties associated with Schedule A. It also includes provisions to ensure legitimate research on substances added to Schedule A can continue. SIMSA gives law enforcement the tools they need to keep up with drug cartels and emerging drug threats, according to information from Pfluger's office.