# Plain Language Summary: STOP Fentanyl Overdoses Act of 2023

This bill is designed to tackle the fentanyl overdose crisis from three main angles: tracking where fentanyl is coming from, stopping its supply, and helping people who struggle with opioid addiction.

The first major part focuses on better tracking fentanyl and overdose deaths. Right now, different agencies collect information about drug seizures and overdoses separately, and that information doesn't always get shared or analyzed together. This bill would require federal law enforcement agencies to report all drug seizures to a central database, and it would strengthen the CDC's overdose tracking program so states can collect better data about which drugs are involved in overdoses. The government would then share this information publicly so communities can understand what drugs are causing problems in their area. The bill also funds grants to help states collect more detailed information about fentanyl-related overdoses and provides money to forensic labs to test drug samples faster and share results with health officials.

The second part addresses stopping fentanyl from entering the country. It requires the government to study which countries are producing synthetic drugs and to examine how well mail and cargo screening is working at borders. This is meant to help law enforcement target fentanyl at its source.

The third and most directly helpful part focuses on treatment and prevention. The bill funds programs to educate people about opioid treatment options and expands access to naloxone (the overdose-reversal drug). It also includes "Good Samaritan" protections, meaning people who call 911 to report an overdose won't face legal consequences for drug possession. The bill funds training for law enforcement on how to safely handle fentanyl and provides grants for education about the dangers of drug misuse. It also requires a study on overdose prevention centers and ensures that people in prisons have access to substance use disorder treatment.

STOP Fentanyl Overdoses Act of 2023

Kuster, Ann M.

Support, Treatment, and Overdose Prevention of Fentanyl Overdoses Act of 2023 or the STOP Fentanyl Overdoses Act of 2023This bill addresses data collection, treatment, harm reduction, and other issues related to substance misuse and addiction. It particularly focuses on opioids, fentanyl, and related substances. Specifically, the bill expands surveillance of fentanyl and related substances. This includes requiring a study on how to track overdoses by type of drug (including fentanyl) and awarding grants to states for collecting data about fentanyl-involved overdoses. The bill also provides for (1) training on detecting and handling fentanyl for law enforcement, and (2) grants for forensic laboratories to facilitate surveillance of controlled substances seized by law enforcement. Additionally, the bill establishes and modifies requirements to increase access to treatment and prevention services. For example, the Bureau of Prisons must make certain services, including medication-assisted treatments, available to individuals in its custody. The bill also establishes grants and requires other efforts to expand access to medications that temporarily reverse opioid overdoses (e.g., naloxone) and related harm reduction activities. Furthermore, the bill extends, subject to some conditions, liability protections for those who administer aid in an emergency (commonly known as Good Samaritan laws) to individuals who administer opioid overdose reversal drugs and to individuals who seek medical attention for themselves or on behalf of another for a drug overdose. The bill also requires multiple reports, including a report by the Department of State on foreign sources of certain drugs.