Recent Congressional Action on Substance Use and What to Expect this Year
On Capitol Hill, there has been a flurry of activity on legislation related to expanding access to medication for opioid use disorder treatment, extending the classification of illicit fentanyl analogues as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and removing barriers to financial services for cannabis-related businesses. As the 117th Congress continues, below is…
NAAG Asks FDA for Progress Update Under the SUPPORT Act
We have witnessed first-hand the devastation that the opioid epidemic has wrought on states in terms of lives lost and the costs it has imposed on our healthcare system and the broader economy.
Attorneys General Push FDA to Examine Progress in Opioid Fight
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to examine recent progress in the agency’s fight against the opioid epidemic. The bipartisan coalition of state and territory attorneys general is seeking a progress report regarding recent steps taken by the FDA to…
NAAG Endorses Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues (SOFA) Act
States and localities are on the front line of this crisis and are a large part of winning the battle from both a law enforcement and public health perspective.
NAAG Endorses the FIGHT Act
This legislation is crucial to federal and state efforts to curb the opioid epidemic nationally and within each individual state. It is for these reasons that we commend Senators Portman and Manchin for their leadership in bringing forward this important legislation, and we urge you to take up and pass S. 2701 before the DEA’s temporary order expires.
NAAG Requests Removal of Federal Barriers to Treat Opioid Use Disorder
Unfortunately, there are three significant barriers to treating opioid use disorder that we cannot change at the state level and that must be tackled at the federal level. We share these barriers below in the hope that we can work together to remove them and allow more providers to offer treatment for opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders.
All 56 State and Territory Attorneys General Ask Congress to Permanently Classify Fentanyl-Related Substances as Schedule I Drugs
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to Senate leadership, urging Congress to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. All 56 state and territory attorneys general signed the letter asking Congress to…
NAAG Sends Letter to Congressional Leadership Urging Removal of Federal Barriers to Treat Opioid Use Disorder
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) has sent a letter to congressional leadership in both chambers, asking for the removal of federal barriers that are currently preventing health care providers from offering treatment for opioid use disorder. Opioid use disorder is the physical and psychological reliance on opioids. Symptoms of opioid addiction include uncontrollable…
State Attorneys General Express Concern Regarding HHS Pain Management Draft Report
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sharing concerns about the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Draft Report (Draft Report). The letter was addressed to Dr. Vanila Singh, chief medical officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health….
Deadly Fentanyl Loophole Should be Closed by Passing Federal Legislation Endorsed by State and Territory Attorneys General
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is endorsing federal legislation known as the Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues (SOFA) Act (S.1553/H.R.4922). It would help address the opioid epidemic by closing a loophole that allows those who traffic deadly fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, to currently stay one step ahead of law enforcement. Fentanyl…
