Congressman Fry co-introduces bill to crack down on synthetic drugs

South Carolina Congressman Russell Fry (Photo: Congress.Gov)

(WPDE) — South Carolina Congressman Russell Fry recently co-introduced a bill to crack down on synthetic drugs meant to mimic already-controlled substances.

TheStop Importation and Manufacturing of Synthetic Analogues (SIMSA) Act targets deadly drugs with similar chemical structures to already-controlled substances that are engineered to come into the United States undetected.

Illicit drug manufacturers can get around laws by making slight changes to the chemical structure of controlled substances, resulting in substances that have similar effects but are not yet regulated. Currently, these uncontrolled substances must undergo a lengthy analysis before the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) can permanently schedule them.

The SIMSA Act allows the DEA to temporarily classify substances as Schedule A if they meet two criteria: (1) their chemical structure is substantially similar to that of a controlled substance, and (2) they are expected to have the same or more significant effect. This legislation would subject manufacturers, exporters, and importers to the criminal penalties associated with Schedule A.

Congressman Fry is joined in the bill by August Pfluger (TX-11), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and Don Davis (NC-1). Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).