U.S. Cracks Down on Lethal Fentanyl-Like Substances

(Winter 2017) As we have reported previously, when used inappropriately, the powerful prescription opioid drug fentanyl can be deadly. Now the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is taking steps to fight back by categorizing illicit fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs on an emergency basis for at least two years, with the possible addition of a third. The new DEA order allows individuals who possess or in any way deal with these derivatives to be prosecuted in a manner comparable to fentanyl offenders. All Schedule I drugs are viewed as addictive and without any medical application.

Legally-prescribed fentanyl, which is 100 times more potent than morphine, is used to manage severe pain. It is a Schedule II drug, defined as extremely addictive but with a valid medical purpose.

In addition to the new fentanyl analogue action, the federal government is turning its eyes to the supply side of the issue, largely contributed to by laboratories in China. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued charges against two Chinese nationals who peddled fentanyl to Americans via the Internet. These are the first fentanyl manufacturers and distributors housed in China to be named Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, ranked by the DOJ as among the top global drug trafficking threats.

One of the men ran websites from which Americans could buy fentanyl and operated two or more chemical manufacturing sites in China with the capacity to make vast quantities of the drug and its analogues. The second man oversaw at least four Chinese fentanyl manufacturing plants and sold the drug via the web.

It is uncertain whether the pair will ever actually face charges in a United States court.

With the widespread concern over fentanyl, employers may wonder about screening for the drug. At this time, doing so is difficult on a couple of levels. Labs don’t currently have a standard urinalysis panel which includes fentanyl, so including it would be more expensive. Additionally, fentanyl does not remain in the body long, and it can be removed from the system even faster by over-hydrating. Most likely, a drug test administered more than 24 hours after fentanyl use would not detect it.

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