U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (TN-02) released the following statement regarding the smuggling of fentanyl-laced substances into the United States:
"It is time we throw the book at fentanyl traffickers. These dirtbags are responsible for killing thousands of American citizens, but the Biden administration wants to lessen prison sentences for fentanyl smugglers. That is wrong. These criminals need to be treated like terrorists wielding weapons of mass destruction. I will soon introduce legislation that will mandate life sentences for smuggling fentanyl into our country."
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics estimated there were over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States between April 2020 and April 2021. This was the highest number of drug overdose deaths ever recorded, much of which was fueled by fentanyl.
Tennessee is among the hardest hit states, with drug overdose deaths rising by 50.1% between April 2020 and April 2021. An estimated 3,581 Tennesseans died from drug overdose over the last year, according to the CDC's report. The CDC's full data on drug overdose deaths can be viewed here (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm)
Source: https://burchett.house.gov/media/press-releases/burchett-throw-book-fentanyl-traffickers
