Pappas Reiterates Call to Address Xylazine Trafficking Following Administration Announcement

Following a Biden Administration announcement designating xylazine an emerging drug threat, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) reiterated his call for Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to address xylazine trafficking in New Hampshire and across the country. Last month, Pappas helped introduce the bipartisan, bicameral Combating Illicit Xylazine Act to address current gaps in federal law that makes xylazine easily accessible to drug traffickers. Senator Maggie Hassan led the introduction of this legislation in the Senate, joined by Senator Jeanne Shaheen. 

“It’s welcome news that the Administration will treat xylazine as an emerging drug threat, but it’s critical that we take action now to stop illegal use,” said Congressman Pappas. “Legislation I’ve introduced would track the manufacture of xylazine and ensure law enforcement has the resources needed to crack down on illegal drug traffickers. I continue to urge that this legislation be brought to a vote, and will continue working across the aisle, and alongside law enforcement and public safety experts, to craft comprehensive solutions that will help combat the proliferation of synthetic drugs and our ongoing addiction epidemic.”

The bipartisan, bicameral Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would address the current gap in federal law by:

• Imposing stronger penalties for the illicit use of xylazine;
• Enabling the Drug Enforcement Administration to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market;
• Requiring a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations to best regulate illicit use of xylazine;
• Ensuring all analogues of xylazine are covered when restricting its illicit use;
• Declaring xylazine an emerging drug threat.

Xylazine is a medication used by some veterinarians and farmers, and the bill cracks down on the illegal distribution of this drug while safeguarding access for professionals who use the drug legally. The bill is supported by the American Veterinary Medical Association.