U.S. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Oct. 31 introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Stop the Importation and Manufacturing of Synthetic Analogues (SIMSA) Act of 2019 to help combat the flow of synthetic drugs.
“While we’ve made great strides in the fight against opioids, drugs like fentanyl continue to wreak havoc on families across Iowa,” Sen. Ernst said. “This bill gives law enforcement the ability to ban dangerous substances and works to deter and punish drug trafficking.”
If enacted, H.R. 4963/S. 2764 would amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify how controlled substance analogues that are imported or offered for import are to be regulated, according to the text of the bill sponsored by Rep. Katko and cosponsors U.S. Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY), along with Sens. Ernst, Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
Under the measure, Rep. Katko said that “law enforcement will be able to expeditiously schedule new synthetic drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, allowing them to take on international drug traffickers and prevent these dangerous drugs from reaching our communities.”
If enacted, the measure would permit substances to be temporarily or permanently added to a new category of controlled substances, known as Schedule A, if their chemical structure is substantially similar to an existing controlled substance and they are expected to have the same or greater effect on the human body, according to a summary of the bill provided by the lawmakers.
“During my time in Congress, I heard from countless families in central New York who have been devastated by the heroin and synthetic drug epidemic,” Rep. Katko said. “One part of addressing this crisis is continuing our work to support law enforcement, by ensuring they are fully equipped with the necessary tools to stop the inflow of toxic synthetic drugs.”
The bill also would apply existing criminal penalties for manufacturers, importers and exporters of Schedule A substances and includes provisions to ensure that legitimate research on substances placed on Schedule A still takes place, according to the summary.