Capito and colleagues reintroduce bill to combat illegal drug analogues

Washington, DC – Last week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to Stop the import and production of synthetic analogues (SIMSA) act. The legislation is led by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maggie Hassan (DN.H.).

In particular, the SIMSA Act targets deadly drugs that are essentially similar to already controlled substances but are carefully manufactured – often in China or Mexico – to enter the United States undetected.

“Preliminary data from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources show that fentanyl and fentanyl analogues were involved in approximately 82% of all drug overdose deaths in West Virginia in 2023,” Said Senator Capito. “These deadly substances are entering our communities from China and across our southern border, and criminals know they can circumvent existing laws by slightly altering the chemical makeup of a drug while still having the same negative effect on the human body. This legislation will enable law enforcement to crack down on synthetic drugs and save lives.”

BACKGROUND:

U.S. law prohibits the unauthorized use of certain controlled substances. However, illegal drug manufacturers and importers circumvent these laws by altering individual atoms in controlled substances to create altered drugs that are not yet banned but have similar effects on users. Currently, uncontrolled substances must undergo time-consuming analysis before the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) can permanently classify them.

The full text of the law can be found Here.

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