- In a letter to President Biden, a bipartisan coalition of 18 AGs, led by Montana AG Austin Knudsen, called on the Biden Administration to declare fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction (WMD), or urge Congress to do so.
- Citing the 75,000-plus Americans who have died from fentanyl overdoses in the 12 month period ending in February 2022 and the drug’s low cost, lethality and availability, the AGs assert that fentanyl would be an ideal choice to use as a chemical weapon, particularly given the fact that just two milligrams of fentanyl is needed to kill an adult.
- Were fentanyl designated a WMD, the AGs contend that the Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security would be required to coordinate a response with other agencies, including the Department of Defense, to curb the problem.