WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill to boost efforts to curb the flows of opioids into the country.
The bill, with 412 votes in favor and 3 votes against, would authorize 9 million dollars to ensure the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has chemical screening devices, scientists and other personnel available to detect the illegal importation of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
"The federal government must do its part to ensure our first responders have the tools they need in this greatest of public health fights," said Democratic lawmaker Niki Tsongas, who authored the legislation with Republican Brian Fitzpatrick.
Fentanyl, estimated to be up to 50 times stronger than heroin, is typically smuggled across the U.S. border or delivered via mail as it can be ordered online, according to a TheHill news daily report.
U.S. President Donald Trump is widely expected to formally declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency later this week, which will help free up resources to respond to the crisis.
"The opioid crisis is an emergency," Trump said in August. "It's a national emergency. We're going to spend a lot of time, a lot of effort, and a lot of money on the opioid crisis."
Drug overdose is currently the leading cause of accidental death in the United States and the majority of those lethal episodes involve an opioid.
