Lawmakers target online fentanyl sales

A group of lawmakers have forwarded correspondence to TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and the Department of Justice (DOJ), noting they are seeking increased efforts to address illegal online fentanyl sales.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Health Subcommittee Republican Leader Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Republican Leader Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Republican Leader Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) spearheaded the letters.

“We write with significant concerns regarding the use of TikTok by drug dealers to sell illicit and deadly substances, especially to children and minors,” the legislators wrote in correspondence to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. “We have read numerous reports and heard personal stories from parents who have tragically lost their children to fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances from pills purchased from drug dealers on TikTok. The loss of these young lives shows not enough is being done to crack down on this illegal activity and prevent criminals from exploiting your platform to sell this deadly poison.”

In the letter to the DOJ, the lawmakers noted traditional methods to combat opioid addiction and overdoses, such as substance use disorder (SUD) treatment or distribution of fentanyl test strips, are not effective.

“More must be done to combat this epidemic of tragic overdoses, and the DOJ must do more to combat illegal activity on these platforms,” the legislators wrote. “A consistent theme of this crisis is the purchasing of pills believed to be something else by teenagers and youth using social media. DOJ, as well as the social media companies themselves, must do more to combat the use of these platforms for illegal activity, especially drug dealers peddling this dangerous poison.”