Charleston, WV (WOAY) – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is partnering with a multistate bipartisan effort during the Biden administration to classify fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction(WMD). 18 state attorneys general are demanding the president act in response to increasing substance overdose deaths nationwide.
The coalition is calling for President Biden to name fentanyl a WMD. The action would require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Drug Enforcement Administration to coordinate with the agencies to treat fentanyl as a narcotic control issue.
The drug’s low cost of production, inherent lethality, and accessibility makes it especially dangerous. The coalition fears that the drug has the potential to act as a chemical weapon.
Over 75,000 Americans have died from synthetic opioid overdose, mainly fentanyl, in the 12-month period ending February 2022. The substance is currently the top killer of adults ages 18 to 45.
