WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTAJ) — President Joe Biden signed the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act into law, which will help combat the opioid crisis.

The new law focuses on targeting the fentanyl supply chain, from the chemical suppliers in China to the cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico. The U.S. Senate originally passed the bill in July 2023, however, it was unsuccessful in passing through the House of Representatives.

“In passing the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, we are finally cracking down on the Chinese criminal organizations and Mexican cartels who manufacture and traffic fentanyl into the United States,” Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) said. “As I travel across Pennsylvania, I’ve heard from far too many families who have lost a loved one to the fentanyl crisis, and I carry their stories with me to Washington as I’ve pushed to get this bill passed. While we’ll never be able to bring their loved ones back, I hope this brings a measure of justice to these families knowing that the transnational criminals responsible for the fentanyl crisis will finally be held accountable for their devastation.”

Accidental drug overdoses were the number one cause of death for Pennsylvanians under 40, and a total of 5,200 Pennsylvanians died from drug overdoses in 2022. In 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized over 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl enough to supply a lethal dose to every American.

The FEND Off Fentanyl Act is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill to help combat the country’s fentanyl crisis by targeting opioid traffickers. The bill will enhance current law so U.S. government agencies can more effectively disrupt illicit opioid supply chains and penalize those facilitating the trafficking of fentanyl.

Prior to passage, the bill earned support from a number of law enforcement organizations, including the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police Officers, the National Sheriff`s Association, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.