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Battling the substance abuse epidemic that has crippled Appalachia is a multi-faceted fight. Among the tools requested by law enforcement has been a way to help stop the flood of fentanyl at its source. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has finally managed to get something done about that.
With the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, the president will now have the ability to sanction drug traffickers and gangs.
"The FEND Off Fentanyl Act is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill to help combat the country's fentanyl crisis by targeting opioid traffickers devastating America's communities," reads the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs one-pager on the act. "The bill will enhance current law so U.S. government agencies can more effectively disrupt illicit opioid supply chains and penalize those facilitating the trafficking of fentanyl. The bill also ensures that sanctions are imposed not only on the illicit drug trade, but also on the money laundering that makes it profitable."
Brown worked with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., to bring the bill to the finish line.
Few states have been hit harder by the substance abuse epidemic than Ohio. FEND should make a difference for the Buckeye State and other states battling this monster.