Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is joining a multistate effort urging President Biden to classify fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction.
This action would require the Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration to coordinate a response with other agencies, including the Department of Defense—as opposed to the federal government only treating the substance as a narcotics control problem.
More than 75,000 Americans died from overdose of synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, in the 12-month period ending in Feb. 2022. This substance is now the number one cause of death for adults aged 18-45.
General Skrmetti joins the attorneys general of the following states and territories: Florida, Connecticut, Arkansas, Guam, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.