Bill Overview
Title: END FENTANYL Act
Description: This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to review and update, as necessary, manuals and policies related to inspections at ports of entry to ensure the uniformity of inspection practices to effectively detect illegal activity along the border, such as the smuggling of drugs and humans.
Sponsors: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Target Audience
Population: People globally affected by fentanyl-related issues
Estimated Size: 30000000
- The bill focuses on enhancing inspection practices to detect illegal drug trafficking at U.S. ports of entry.
- Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid contributing to high numbers of overdose deaths globally, affecting especially countries like the United States with opioid crises.
- Effectively addressing fentanyl trafficking impacts communities exposed to opioid misuse, addiction, and associated fatalities.
- Strong inspection practices can curb the supply of illegal fentanyl, thus affecting potential users who might face fewer chances of encountering such drugs.
- It can also impact law enforcement and border patrol employees as they may receive updated training and equipment.
Reasoning
- The policy aims to enhance border inspections to reduce trafficking of substances like fentanyl, directly impacting the supply of illicit drugs.
- Those primarily impacted include communities dealing with opioid misuse and frontline workers such as law enforcement and health care providers.
- Budget constraints on the policy limit the scale and reach of the interventions in the first year, meaning not all target regions or populations may feel equal effects immediately.
- Considering the current reach of fentanyl in the US, given its prevalence in overdose statistics, minor reductions in its availability could have noticeable effects on affected communities.
- The policy will also influence the workload, training, and possibly the wellbeing of CBP officers, who will implement these improved inspection protocols.
Simulated Interviews
Unemployed (Appalachia, WV)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the policy works, there could be fewer drugs around, which is good, but I'm worried about driving use underground even more.
- More inspections might scare off some of the dealers bringing in dangerous stuff. That's a good deterrent.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
ER Nurse (Baltimore, MD)
Age: 46 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might help reduce the number of overdoses we see if it's effective.
- I hope there are resources for addiction treatment as well, not just prevention.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Customs and Border Protection Officer (San Diego, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could add to our workload, might need more training to deal with new technologies.
- I hope it makes our job easier in identifying trafficking activities.
- Operational changes require adaptation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Recovering Opioid Addict (Portland, OR)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reducing fentanyl on the streets can make recovery easier for many, including myself.
- Hope this policy leads to less overdose deaths.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Drug Policy Analyst (New York, NY)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy needs to be backed by more than just inspections; treatment and recovery services are critical.
- Better monitoring should help the data drive informed decisions on drug policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Logistics Manager (Houston, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We need efficient inspections that don't slow down legitimate trade.
- If inspections are uniform and predictable, our processes will improve.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Urban Resident (Philadelphia, PA)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any step that can mean less harm in my community is welcome.
- I hope the inspections mean fewer drugs making it into the neighborhood.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Non-Profit Director (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved inspections are part of the solution, but not the only one.
- We'll keep pushing for more comprehensive policies that deliver housing and mental health support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Law Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 36 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should also consider reforming how we treat low-level drug offenders.
- I'm curious if this approach reduces supply as intended.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Border Community Activist (El Paso, TX)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The intent of the policy is positive, but execution is key.
- Hopeful for improvements, skeptical about the potential for increased tension at the border.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $50000000)
Year 3: $25000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $40000000)
Year 5: $20000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $35000000)
Year 10: $15000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $25000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $10000000)
Key Considerations
- Enforcement effectiveness is contingent on the adequacy of the updated inspection protocols and tech.
- Initial high implementation costs are followed by tapering to more consistent operational expenses.
- Long-term effectiveness depends on robust and consistent training and policy adaptation.
- Cultural and logistical barriers among border patrol and across different ports of entry could pose challenges.
- Cross-agency cooperation and data sharing critical for optimal implementation.