Niki Tsongas: “Police Chief William Taylor of my hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, said: ``Each day two to three people overdose from…”

“Police Chief William Taylor of my hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, said: ``Each day two to three people overdose from opioids in Lowell. . . . The introduction of illicit fentanyl has been the game changer. . . . `' In 2015, Massachusetts ranked second nationally per capita in deaths from synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which can be up to 50 times stronger than heroin. But Massachusetts is far from alone. Between 2014 and 2015, nationwide deaths involving synthetic opioids tragically rose 72 percent. That is why I partnered with Representative Brian Fitzpatrick to introduce the INTERDICT Act, which would provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection with enhanced chemical screening devices and scientific support to detect and intercept synthetic opioids like fentanyl. I thank Representative Fitzpatrick and our Senate counterparts for their partnership, and I urge all our colleagues to support the INTERDICT Act. To effectively combat the nationwide opioid crisis requires a comprehensive, cooperative, fully funded effort. The INTERDICT Act would be a powerful tool in eliminating synthetic opioids from the equation. ____________________”