Q&A:
Overdose Deaths in Iowa

With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Q: Why did you maintain a Senate area listening to in Des Moines?

A: Counterfeit
prescription capsules laced with lethal fentanyl are contributing to historic drug
overdose deaths in the USA, together with right here in Iowa. Based on the
Iowa Division of Public Well being, drug overdose deaths have climbed 34 p.c
between 2019 and 2021. Amongst Iowans age 25 and youthful, overdose deaths surged
by 120 p.c. Tragically, 470 lives have been stolen by drug overdose in Iowa simply
final yr. As co-chair of the Senate Caucus on Worldwide Narcotics Management,
I take advantage of my management platform on behalf of Iowans to assist clear up issues and
save lives. I convened a area listening to in our capital metropolis to assist elevate
consciousness on this public well being disaster, to provide Iowa households a voice and to
determine options to forestall extra deaths from lethal fentanyl. Drug overdose
deaths, with fentanyl taking part in a number one position, is now the main explanation for demise
for Individuals ages 18-45. Mothers and Dads are waking up within the morning to
uncover a son or daughter died of a drug overdose in a single day. This could not
be taking place. Sufficient is sufficient. So, I’m leveraging my management for Iowa
to assist reinforce the urgency of this disaster and form options in order that extra
Iowa households aren’t grieving the lack of a liked one heading into the vacation
season. I invited Iowans from Des Moines, Shelby and Cedar Rapids to share
their tales. Their highly effective testimony will make an affect on policymakers,
well being care professionals, educators and regulation enforcement about what may be performed
and must be performed to battle fentanyl. I share of their sorrow and commend
these grieving Iowans for his or her bravery and willingness to inform us about their
family members in order that they could assist save lives. It’s heartbreaking their beloved
sons have been poisoned to demise by fentanyl and had their lives and futures stolen.
Because of the braveness of those Iowa dad and mom, the reminiscences of Sebastian Kidd,
age 17; Devin Anderson, age 23; and Bailey Arwine, age 22, will assist different
dad and mom to have severe discussions with their youngsters in regards to the risks of
fentanyl. I encourage Iowans to hearken to their highly effective tales right here.

Q: What extra may be performed to cease overdose deaths?

A: In my
work on behalf of Iowans within the U.S. Senate, Congress has enacted complete
reforms to spice up drug prevention, therapy, enforcement and restoration efforts.
As then-chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I steered the Complete
Dependancy and Restoration Act in 2016 and SUPPORT
for Sufferers and Communities Act in 2018 to the president’s desk.
Since President Biden took workplace, artificial medication pose an growing threat to
the U.S. inhabitants as Mexican drug cartels exploit the open southern border to
push their poison into the USA. Testimony on the area listening to
defined how precursor substances from China are despatched to Mexico, pressed into
counterfeit capsules by the cartels, and trafficked throughout the border up by way of
the arterial interstate highways into America’s heartland. The drug cartels are
lacing fentanyl into different medication and prescription medicines to hook customers and
in some circumstances are mixing stimulants like methamphetamine with fentanyl. The
end result has been catastrophic with 108,000 overdose deaths final yr within the U.S.
It’s pushing down life expectancy in America. The open border insurance policies and lax
enforcement of the Biden administration are making the state of affairs worse, not
higher. Customs and Border Safety (CPB) reported seizing 7 tons of fentanyl
on the border. Clearly, it’s good federal brokers made these seizures, however
it’s solely a fraction of what’s coming into the USA. Furthermore,
testimony on the listening to indicated these seizures are extra the results of
elevated quantities of fentanyl and different illicit medication pouring throughout the open
border somewhat than a simpler regulation enforcement effort. Untold quantities of
fentanyl are making it into native communities and houses of grieving Individuals,
together with right here in Iowa. One deadly dose of fentanyl is the equal of the
weight of a mosquito. One pound of fentanyl can kill greater than a
quarter-million folks. Final yr, sufficient fentanyl was seized to kill each
single American. That’s why I’ll proceed pushing the Biden administration and
Congress to increase the Schedule 1 for fentanyl-related
substances so regulation enforcement can use each device out there to cease these
harmful medication from killing extra Individuals. The commissioner of the Iowa
Division of Public Security testified on the listening to in Des Moines that the
cultural demonization of regulation enforcement is hampering the power to recruit
officers. He mentioned there are 51 vacancies on the Iowa State Patrol. Much less regulation
enforcement means extra fentanyl goes undetected and extra poison will get trafficked
throughout Iowa. So long as I’m within the U.S. Senate, I cannot cease combating the
fentanyl disaster that’s devastating households and communities in our state.