Title: The Looming Nitazene Crisis: A New Frontier in America’s Opioid Epidemic? The opioid epidemic has been a major public health crisis in the United States over the past few years, with fentanyl being one of its most dangerous and deadly components. Now, lawmakers are racing to stop what they believe could be the next ‘fentanyl-level’ crisis: nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioids that have been increasingly linked to drug overdoses in recent years. Three Republican senators – Eric Schmitt (Missouri), Pete Ricketts (Nebraska) and Dave McCormick (Pennsylvania) – are introducing three new bills aimed at addressing the growing spread of nitazenes through law enforcement, technology, and foreign policy measures. The push represents one of the most aggressive congressional efforts yet to get ahead of what experts warn could be a deadly new chapter in America’s opioid epidemic. One bill, Schmitt’s Detection Equipment and Technology Evaluation to Counter the Threat of Nitazenes Act (DETECT Nitazenes Act), directs the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to develop and deploy new technology capable of detecting trace amounts of nitazenes. The bill also updates the Homeland Security Act to explicitly include nitazenes in federal efforts to identify and disrupt illicit substances. Another piece of legislation, the Nitazene Control Act, would permanently classify nitazenes as Schedule I controlled substances under federal law – the same category as heroin, fentanyl, and LSD. This move aims to curb the spread of these dangerous drugs by making it easier for law enforcement agencies to crack down on their distribution and use. The introduction of these bills highlights the growing concern among policymakers about the potential threat posed by nitazenes. With fentanyl already causing thousands of overdose deaths each year, there is a real fear that another synthetic opioid could soon follow suit if left unchecked. As such, it’s crucial for lawmakers to take proactive steps in addressing this issue before it spirals out of control. In conclusion, the looming nitazene crisis represents a new frontier in America’s ongoing battle against opioids. The introduction of these bills demonstrates that policymakers are taking this threat seriously and are committed to finding solutions to prevent another devastating drug epidemic from taking hold. It remains to be seen whether these measures will ultimately prove effective, but one thing is certain: the stakes have never been higher when it comes to combatting the opioid crisis in all its forms.
Source: [Original Article](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/lawmakers-race-stop-next-fentanyl-crisis-crackdown-nitazenes-synthetic-opioids)
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