Bob Healey Calls on Rep. Andy Kim to Demand President Biden Take Immediate Action on Fentanyl

Healey along with State Senator Jean Stanfield (LD-8) and Burlington County Sheriff candidate Mike Ditzel say insidious drug should be permanently classified as a “Schedule 1” drug

For Immediate Release

Moorestown, March 8, 2022 – GOP congressional challenger Bob Healey and State Senator Jean Stanfield (R-8) called on incumbent Democratic Rep. Andy Kim to demand that President Biden’s Administration take immediate action to permanently declare Fentanyl a Schedule 1 drug, a classification that is set to expire this Friday, March 11, absent federal action.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin.  Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and don’t even know that they are purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths. The fentanyl supply has also recently found its way into more designer drugs like cocaine.

“Fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances are killing our family members, friends, and neighbors and the Biden Administration should act immediately to combat it,” said Healey, a South Jersey businessman and philanthropist who has been endorsed by both the Burlington County Republican Committee and the Monmouth County Republican Committee thus far.

“The cartels are trafficking this drug across our porous southern border, which has seen a staggering 4,000 percent increase in fentanyl seizures over the last three years,” said Healey.  “Fentanyl is also coming in from China. Two of the reasons I’m running for Congress are to better secure our southern border and get tougher on China, and this crisis underscores why both are important.  We must take action to permanently classify this insidious killer as a Schedule 1 drug.  I can’t for the life of me think of a reason why Congressman Kim won’t push President Biden to make this happen before the temporary classification expires on March 11.”

A “Schedule 1” drug is defined as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

“New Jersey has endured over 3,000 overdose deaths every year since 2019, which is part of a disturbing national trend,” said Senator Stanfield, who was formerly Burlington County’s Sheriff.  “I applaud my former partner in county government – Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina’s aggressive charging and successfully prosecution of drug dealers who supply fentanyl to others who then overdose.”

“I’m glad Bob Healey and Senator Stanfield are stepping up to the plate to call out the ridiculous cancellation of Fentanyl as a “Schedule 1” drug. It’s hard enough to do our jobs as is, but it’ll be even harder when Fentanyl dealers are let back out on the streets with a slap on the wrist,” said Burlington County Sheriff candidate Mike Ditzel. Ditzel is currently Lieutenant with the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department and runs its Hope One program, which brings direct addiction treatment and education to people in need.