Arizona’s Sheriffs are on the frontlines of combating crime in our counties and are responsible for the safety and well-being of our citizens. The Sheriffs’ of the ASA have seen a sharp increase in counterfeit drug interdictions and incidences of counterfeit prescription opioid medications with deadly results in our counties. Accidental exposure to even minimal amounts of fentanyl can be enough to cause an overdose and endanger the health and safety of law enforcement officers, their K-9 companions and other first responders.
Drug importation creates a loophole for criminals to exploit and import drugs that are substandard, adulterated, misbranded, and even counterfeit and no drug importation policy provides any additional resources to state or local law enforcement, which will hit our already overstrained rural county governments. Drug importation would, accordingly, worsen the opioid crisis, open up the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain to adulterated and counterfeit drugs, further burden law enforcement, and endanger the safety of officers and other first responders.
The ASA urges the Arizona State Legislature and the U.S. Congress to not endanger America’s citizens and law enforcement while looking for realistic, meaningful and effective legislative and administrative options to lower the costs of prescription drugs.