Joyce cosponsors bipartisan Stop Pills That Kill Act

Stricter penalties for counterfeit pill production would be instituted under a bipartisan bill introduced on June 22 by U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH). 

“Drug traffickers are mass producing fake pills, often with fentanyl, without any care as to who their poisons kill,” Rep. Joyce said. “I’m proud to lead the effort to ramp up criminal penalties to deter this illegal activity, which has increasingly targeted minors and young adults.” 

Rep. Joyce joined two other members, including U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ), as an original cosponsor of the Stop Pills That Kill Act, H.R. 8175, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO).

If enacted, H.R. 8175 would ensure that existing penalties for possessing paraphernalia used to manufacture methamphetamine also would apply to possessing paraphernalia used to make counterfeit pills that contain methamphetamine, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogues, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Joyce’s staff.

Additionally, H.R. 8175 would direct the United States Sentencing Commission to review and amend the sentencing guidelines to increase legal penalties for a defendant who knowingly misrepresented a counterfeit pill that contains fentanyl or a fentanyl analogue as a genuine prescription drug or over-the-counter medication, the summary says. 

“We cannot allow these criminals to continue to break apart families and threaten the safety of our communities,” said Rep. Joyce. “This important legislation will help authorities crack down on the rising production of counterfeit pills and prevent tragic overdose deaths.”

Among several provisions, H.R. 8175 also would require the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), no later than 180 days after the date of the bill’s enactment, to establish and implement an operation and response plan to address counterfeit fentanyl or methamphetamine substances, the text of the bill says.

The DEA plan would have to include strategies to enable and empower federal law enforcement efforts to investigate and seize counterfeit fentanyl or methamphetamine substances; specific ways to increase education and prevention efforts to stop the use of counterfeit fentanyl or methamphetamine substances; and an audit of current campaigns, including the One Pill Can Kill campaign, on counterfeit fentanyl or methamphetamine substances, according to the bill’s text.

H.R. 8175 is the companion bill to the same-named S. 4151 introduced on May 5 by U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

The measure is supported by the National District Attorneys Association, the National Rural Health Association, the National Narcotics Officers Association Coalition, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition, the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Song for Charlie, and Victims of Illicit Drugs.