Indy Standard

U.S. Senators Mike Braun, Rick Scott, Marco Rubio, Pete Ricketts, and J.D. Vance, members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, have written a letter to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram, urging the agency to improve its prevention efforts for older Americans and raise awareness of senior overdoses.

The senators emphasized the need for tailored prevention messages to protect older Americans from synthetic drugs like fentanyl. They highlighted the fact that the nation's drug crisis is increasingly a synthetics crisis, and older Americans are not immune to its effects. The senators pointed out that prevention efforts for older populations often focus on concerns about prescription medication, overprescription, risky drug interactions, and alcohol misuse, but the impact of fentanyl on older age groups receives less attention.

During a committee hearing in December 2023 on substance use trends among older Americans, experts and stakeholders discussed the rising threat of fentanyl to seniors. Overdose deaths among Americans aged 65 and older have quadrupled over the last two decades, with synthetics like fentanyl contributing to these fatalities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a 53 percent increase in deadly overdoses among older Americans in recent years.

The senators requested information from the DEA on its prevention efforts to protect older Americans from synthetic drugs. They also inquired about the prevalence of synthetics like fentanyl among older Americans and whether the DEA is engaging with community partners, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and other stakeholders on the risks of synthetics to older Americans.

In addition, the senators asked if the DEA plans to update its "One Pill Can Kill" campaign to provide information and resources specifically tailored for older Americans. They also requested information on any other resources that the DEA can provide to help inform older Americans about the dangers of synthetics like fentanyl.

The senators' letter highlights the alarming increase in the presence of fentanyl in seized pills. The DEA has found that seven out of every ten pills it seizes contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, a significant rise from previous years. This is a cause for concern as pills laced with synthetics can poison older Americans, who may be unaware of the dangers. The senators stressed the importance of informing older Americans about the surging flow of fentanyl, its lethal nature even in small amounts, and its ability to mimic commonly used pills.

The senators concluded their letter by expressing their appreciation for the DEA's attention to this issue and requested a response by February 19, 2024.

The letter from Senators Braun, Scott, Rubio, Ricketts, and Vance to DEA Administrator Milgram underscores the urgent need to address the increasing threat of fentanyl and other synthetics to older Americans. By raising awareness and improving prevention efforts, it is hoped that the devastating impact of senior overdoses can be mitigated.