Senators Hassan and Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Tools Used to Make Counterfeit Drugs Laced with Fentanyl

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to stiffen penalties on people who use pill presses to make counterfeit drugs, which can be laced with fentanyl. The Criminalizing Abused Substance Templates (CAST) Act strengthens the criminal penalty for making counterfeit drugs using a pill press. Current law prohibits this practice but has insufficient penalties.

“Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl pose a major threat to our communities. Strengthening penalties for the criminals creating these counterfeit drugs can help get them off the market,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will help ensure that law enforcement officials have the tools that they need to crack down on criminals making counterfeit drugs, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill.”

“Strengthening our law enforcement’s ability to crack down on illegal pill presses keeps harmful substances out of our communities,” said Dr. Cassidy. “No one should have to worry if their medicines are counterfeit or laced with fentanyl.”

The CAST Act makes possession of a press mold with intent to counterfeit schedule I or II substances a crime. Violations of the act would carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Senator Hassan has led efforts to stop fentanyl trafficking. Last month, Senator Hassan and colleagues’ FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which targets the illicit fentanyl supply chain and will impose sanctions on fentanyl traffickers, was signed into law. In March, Senator Hassan’s bipartisan END FENTANYL Act, which will help Customs and Border Protection crack down on fentanyl trafficking at the border, was signed into law. Senator Hassan also worked with her colleagues to pass into law the bipartisan INTERDICT Act, which has provided Customs and Border Protection with additional tools to help detect and intercept fentanyl and other illegal synthetic opioids.

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