Friday, October 23, 2015

Cleaver: We must protect our communities from Alpha-PVP drug

(From Fifth District Congressman Emanuel Cleaver)

On Monday I sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Chuck Rosenberg regarding the danger of a new drug by the name of Alpha-PVP, also known as Flakka. It is a threatening drug that has taken lives and endangers countless more.

The devastating effects that this drug could and is having on communities across the country are serious, and the number of violent incidents that have resulted from people using this drug continues to increase. Currently incidents involving Flakka are prevalent in areas throughout the Southeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States, with substantiated fears of drug use spreading throughout the rest of the country.

In 2015 alone more than two dozen people have died from Flakka-related incidents, with that number expected to rise. Addiction is a serious concern, putting those individuals at an extreme risk of death. Flakka is said to be just as addictive as cocaine but even more dangerous. According to reports, despite its illegality, foreign companies still sell Flakka online. Unfortunately, their laboratories have become a source for drug cartels in North and Central America.

It is of paramount importance that we protect communities from this deplorable drug. It is my hope that the DEA will do all that is in its power to prevent this drug from spreading any further than it already has. To that point, I am urging the DEA to take the necessary steps to prevent internet distributors from selling Flakka to persons in the United States, including working with credit card companies and online retailers to block sales of this dangerous product. It is imperative that the DEA continue working diligently -- and if needed work with other federal agencies -- to halt all online transactions as quickly as possible.

If you’d like to read the full text of my letter, it is available here.

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