Bipartisan bill seeks to curb rise of nitazenes, potent synthetic opioids

Two members of Congress introduced bipartisan legislation in September 2025 aimed at stemming a sharp rise in overdoses tied to nitazenes, a class of synthetic opioids that lawmakers and public health officials say is increasingly present in the U.S. drug supply.

The Nitazene Control Act, introduced by Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.) and Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.), would legally classify nitazenes as drugs with no accepted medical use and a high risk of overdose, and would close a loophole that has allowed some analogues to evade existing synthetic-opioid bans. The sponsors said the measure is intended to give law enforcement clearer authority and to get ahead of a growing public health threat.

"Nitazenes are the next fentanyl — cheap to produce, easy to traffic, and devastatingly lethal," Vindman said in a statement accompanying the bill. "Too many families already have an empty seat at the table because of these synthetic drugs. I’m proud to work across the aisle to confront this crisis, protect our communities, and give law enforcement the tools to save lives."

Lawmakers and public health advocates say nitazenes have surfaced in the United States after intensified efforts to disrupt fentanyl supply chains. Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturers and Mexican drug-trafficking organizations have been identified as sources of nitazene compounds, which, sponsors say, can be far more potent than fentanyl. The bill’s authors and their allies say some nitazenes can be more than 40 times as potent as fentanyl.

Local and state public health officials have reported an increase in nitazene-linked overdoses in 2025, and officials have warned that some versions of the drug may be less responsive to naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote commonly known by the brand name Narcan. Advocates and lawmakers said that the pace of change in synthetic-opioid production and trafficking has made it difficult for existing controlled-substance schedules to keep up.

The Nitazene Control Act would amend federal scheduling to explicitly include nitazenes and their close chemical analogues, sponsors said, strengthening penalties for illegal manufacture, distribution and possession while preserving avenues for authorized research. The measure is designed to prevent new variants from exploiting gaps that have allowed other designer opioids to skirt existing statutes.

Public health experts say scheduling alone is not a complete solution and emphasize the need for expanded treatment access, increased surveillance, and harm-reduction strategies to reduce deaths. Lawmakers backing the bill said the legislation is one element of a broader response they plan to press in Congress.

The bill’s sponsors said they will seek prompt consideration in committee and urged colleagues to act quickly in light of rising overdose figures. Congressional aides said the measure could face debate over enforcement and public-health priorities as it moves through the legislative process.