The HIDTA Enhancement Act of 2024 was introduced in the Senate last week by Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). This important legislation would provide the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program within the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) with greater resources for fentanyl prevention, seizure, and interdiction.
In 2023, 106,876 people died from a drug overdose in 2023, with 74,088 deaths resulting from synthetic opioids like fentanyl, according to the National Center for Health Statistics at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The opioid overdose crisis has torn apart countless communities and families across the country, and the prevalence and availability of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances in jurisdictions nationwide have perpetuated and exacerbated this deadly epidemic. The HIDTA Enhancement Act would help combat the ongoing opioid overdose crisis, which has tragically claimed so many lives and torn apart countless families and communities.
This important legislation would target and address the increased prevalence of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances in jurisdictions across the country through:
Reauthorizing the HIDTA program at an increased amount from 2025 through 2030;
Increasing competitive grant funding and expanding the allowable use of grant funds to include activities around fentanyl prevention, seizure, and interdiction;
Directing the Attorney General to coordinate with each individual HIDTA’s Executive Boards in ensuring sufficient resources available for investigating and prosecuting fentanyl-related cases; and
Requiring a report from ONDCP regarding the use of HIDTA funds for investigating fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances.
Sign On to the National Support Letter
Addiction Policy Forum invites organizations to sign the national letter of support. Organizations can sign on by completing this form by 5:00pm ET on Friday, October 25, 2024.