Grassley, Hassan reintroduce SIMSA law to tackle illegal analogues

WASHINGTON – Senate Drug Committee Co-Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Rep. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) today led their bipartisan colleagues in reintroducing the Stop Import and Production of Synthetic Analogues (SIMSA) Act. The legislation focuses on deadly drugs that broadly resemble already controlled substances, but are carefully engineered—often in China or Mexico—to slip into the U.S. undetected.

“International drug traffickers are exploiting a loophole in our laws, leading to a deadly game of whack-a-mole. SIMSA Act sends an explicit message that the US is done playing,” said Grassley. “Law enforcement is struggling to keep up with the inefficient planning system we have, and communities are facing an unprecedented drug crisis as a result. Our legislation provides much-needed adaptability to get ahead of bad actors and their deadly synthetic drugs.”

“Communities across New Hampshire have been devastated by fentanyl and other deadly drugs. Fentanyl analogues pose as serious a threat as fentanyl itself, and criminals have deliberately designed these drugs to circumvent our laws and evade prohibition,” said Hassan. “Our bipartisan legislation will provide law enforcement with the resources needed to crack down on the criminals who are flooding our streets with these drug analogues. I urge my colleagues to support this effort to protect our communities and save lives, and I will continue to work to combat the fentanyl crisis.”

In addition to Grassley and Hassan, the race includes Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

“The danger of deadly drugs and fentanyl flowing across our border and into our communities is too great to ignore. We have lost too many Iowans to fast-moving synthetic drugs that circumvent the federal laws meant to ban them,” said Senator Ernst. “That’s why I’m working with others to ensure law enforcement has the tools they need to stem the flow of deadly synthetic drugs.”

“According to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, fentanyl and fentanyl analogs were involved in 76% of all drug overdoses in West Virginia in 2021,” Senator Capito said. “These deadly substances are flowing into our communities from China and across our southern border, and criminals know they can circumvent existing laws by slightly altering the chemical makeup of a drug while still having the same negative effects on the human body. This legislation will allow law enforcement to crack down on synthetic drugs and save lives.”

“When synthetic drugs, such as analogues of deadly drugs like fentanyl, can be quickly modified to circumvent federal laws designed to ban them, lives in our communities are put at risk,” said Shaheen. “We must act urgently to solve this crisis, and that’s why I’m proud to have helped introduce this bipartisan bill. Stop the import and production of synthetic analogues law to stop dangerous drug traffickers, give law enforcement the authority they need to remove these drugs from communities, and stop the spread of deadly synthetic opioids.”

Background:

U.S. law prohibits the unauthorized use of certain controlled substances. However, illegal drug manufacturers and importers circumvent these laws by altering individual atoms in controlled substances to create modified drugs that are not yet illegal but have similar effects on users. Currently, uncontrolled substances must undergo time-consuming analysis before the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) can permanently list them.

The SIMSA Act Allows the DEA to designate substances as Schedule A if (1) their chemical structure is substantially similar to a controlled substance and (2) they are expected to have the same or greater effect on the human body. The bill subjects individuals who manufacture, export, and import these uncontrolled substances to the criminal penalties associated with Schedule A. It also includes provisions to ensure that legitimate research into substances placed in Schedule A can continue. SIMSA gives law enforcement the tools they need to keep pace with drug cartels and emerging drug threats. Grassley introduced the SIMSA Act in 2019 and 2021.

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