AG Barr: Fake fentanyl should stay illegal
During a trip CLEVELAND — to Cleveland to meet with law enforcement officials, Attorney General William Barr said he wanted Congress to permanently flag as illegal analogues of the drug fentanyl, a potent and highly addictive opioid.
Fentanyl is one of the main culprits of the dramatic increase in opioid addiction and overdoses. It is considered a Schedule II drug at the federal level, meaning it has a high potential for abuse.
“As you know, there are synthetic forms of fentanyl where just by changing a molecule, you make it legal,” Barr said. “The DEA was able to obtain emergency legislation to have fentanyl analogues scheduled for a short period of time. That expires in February.”
In his brief public remarks, Barr said he hoped Congress would make the emergency legislation permanent. He said the government was able to pressure China — one of the main sources of fentanyl and its analogues — to schedule the drug as well.
However, without extending the limitations domestically, it could lead to a flood of the drugs in the United States, Barr said.
“One would think it would be an easy thing to do, but nothing is easy these days in Congress,” Barr said.
Barr did not take questions from reporters and notably did not address the consent decree between Cleveland police and the Justice Department. The Trump administration — including Barr’s predecessor, Jeff Sessions — has moved to end the use of consent decrees.
Barr said he requested the meeting in Cleveland with local law enforcement to find out how to expand cooperation between federal, local and state agencies. That cooperation has led to a steep decrease in crime from his first foray as U.S. Attorney General in 1992, he said.
“While crime is lower than it was in 1992, in many places, it’s still high,” Barr said. “As you know, in Cleveland it’s four times the national average. While progress is being made, it’s still at a high level.”