Last year in CityBeat, I called for the passage of Senator Sherrod Brown’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a bipartisan bill to help Ohio law enforcement keep the dangerous drug fentanyl out of our communities and combat the ongoing addiction epidemic facing our state.
Today, I’m proud to write that Senator Brown’s FEND Off Fentanyl is now law.
The FEND Off Fentanyl Act will crack down on criminals in countries like China and Mexico who try to produce fentanyl or illegally import fentanyl into our communities and get Ohioans addicted to this dangerous drug.
It’s meaningful legislation that will cut off the flow of fentanyl at the source and sanction chemical suppliers, criminal organizations and drug cartels who traffic the drug and then reinvest that money into law enforcement organizations who work every day to keep our communities safe.
While we do all we can as law enforcement officers to keep our communities safe, federal legislation like the FEND Off Fentanyl Act gives us more tools in our toolbox to curb addiction and keep these drugs off the street.
And it never would have happened without Senator Brown’s willingness to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans to get the bill passed and signed into law.
Senator Brown fought for a year to get this bill passed, traveling the state to talk about the importance of the FEND Off Fentanyl Act and working with Republican Senator Tim Scott to get the bill across the finish line.
It’s a quality that’s too rare in Washington these days, but a trademark of Senator Brown’s career.
He’s always willing to put politics aside and do what’s right for our state, especially when it comes to keeping Ohioans safe.
As Ohio law enforcement, we often hear lots of nice talking points from elected officials, but it’s rare to see those words backed up with action. Senator Brown keeps his promises.
Meanwhile, Bernie Moreno – who is running against Senator Brown in the U.S. Senate race this November – talks a lot about crime and supporting police, but fails to do what’s right when he has the opportunity.
Bernie Moreno said he “would have opposed” the bipartisan plan that included the FEND Off Fentanyl Act and also opposed a bipartisan border deal endorsed by border agents that also included the FEND Off Fentanyl Act.
Thankfully, we have a leader in Senator Brown who never gives up on doing the right thing and who always makes sure law enforcement has the resources it needs to keep our communities safe.
Charmaine McGuffey has served as the Hamilton County Sheriff since 2021.
