President Biden urged on Tuesday for the classification of fentanyl as a Schedule I drug, signaling the termination of its widespread medical applications. However, subsequent clarifications from aides revealed that his intention is specifically to prohibit compounds related to fentanyl.
Approximately 200,000 Americans have lost their lives to synthetic opioids during President Biden’s term, primarily originating from China. Biden made this statement in an attempt to shift responsibility back to Congress, responding to criticisms from Republicans.
“Look, I also urge Congress to permanently make fentanyl and related substances Schedule I drugs,” President Biden expressed during a gathering at the White House with officials from the executive branch.
This follows a summit held last week with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which he agreed to cease the export of these drugs. However, despite his previous commitments, the surge in deaths in the US did not show any signs of slowing down.
Biden has sparked criticism due to previous inaccurate statements about the crisis. This includes a series of mistakes in January and February, where he twice misrepresented the U.S. death toll and inaccurately characterized the potency of fentanyl.
Fentanyl possesses a distinct chemical formula, C22H28N2O, and, akin to cocaine, is categorized as a Schedule II drug. This classification allows its lawful use with medical authorization for pain treatment.
Drugs classified as Schedule I are characterized by having no permissible medical applications and are ineligible for prescription.
Officials from the Biden administration clarified to The Post that he was not explicitly advocating for a prohibition on fentanyl. Instead, he was urging Congress to solidify a 2018 emergency measure, which designated fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs.
Substances related to fentanyl exhibit marginally distinct chemical compositions compared to fentanyl, a factor that has previously enabled traffickers to evade penalties.
In the past few weeks, President Biden has intensified his attention on fentanyl, stating that he is personally acquainted with several families who have lost a loved one due to illicit synthetic opioids. Typically, these substances are clandestinely brought into the country rather than being diverted from domestic medical sources.
Biden also called on Congress to approve $1.2 billion for the acquisition of fentanyl-screening equipment. This request is part of a larger funding proposal, which includes seeking $14.3 billion to support Israel’s conflict with Hamas and $61.4 billion to aid Ukraine in its war with Russia.
