In the wake of rising overdose deaths, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, supported by a cohort of attorneys general from 20 states, has urged the DEA to clamp down on what is known as "designer Xanax," or bromazolam. According to a press release from Oklahoma's Official Government website, they warn of the drug's high potency and unpredictable effects, with Drummond stating, "We're seeing the devastating impact of this drug firsthand in Oklahoma and across the country."
The coalition, which includes states such as Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas, is pushing for the DEA to classify bromazolam under the Controlled Substances Act as an emergency measure to halt its spread; Drummond highlighted the urgency, emphasizing that any delay means the substance remains available to those who might misuse it, leading to further potential harm and overdose victims who cannot be revived by naloxone, or Narcan, as it is ineffective against bromazolam overdoses. While numerous public health measures are often discussed and debated, this joint call signals a lesser-seen unanimity among state officials regarding the dire situation of opioid analogs in the fabric of American society, as reported by the Oklahoma's Official Government.
By officially classifying bromazolam as a controlled substance, law enforcement could more easily take it off the streets, and prosecutors would have the tools to go after those selling it. With the opioid crisis ongoing, Drummond and others are pushing for quick action to send a clear message: these drugs have no place in our communities, as noted by the Oklahoma's Official Government.
Joining Drummond in this effort are attorneys general from a span across the southern, eastern, and mid-western United States, including states such as Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia, each marked by their own distinct struggles against the scourge of addiction and drug abuse the added weight of diverse regional experiences and perspectives contributes to a single, focused push against a new, deadly player in the vast and harrowing landscape of substance misuse, as per the Oklahoma's Official Government.
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