{"id":2073163,"date":"2023-10-19T14:17:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T18:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ernst-leads-push-to-crack-down-on-online-sales-of-chemicals-used-to-make-fentanyl\/"},"modified":"2023-10-19T14:19:56","modified_gmt":"2023-10-19T18:19:56","slug":"ernst-leads-push-to-crack-down-on-online-sales-of-chemicals-used-to-make-fentanyl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ernst-leads-push-to-crack-down-on-online-sales-of-chemicals-used-to-make-fentanyl\/","title":{"rendered":"Ernst spearheads crackdown on online fentanyl chemical sales."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fernst-leads-push-to-crack-down-on-online-sales-of-chemicals-used-to-make-fentanyl%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2073163&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Republican \u2062Senators Urge Meta\u2063 CEO to Take \u2064Action Against \u2062Illicit Fentanyl Sales<\/h2>\n<p>A group of seven Republican senators, including Sen. Joni Ernst \u200d(R-IA), has sent\u2062 a \u200cletter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, calling on the social media platform\u200d to do more \u200dto \u200bprevent the sale of\u2063 key chemicals used in the production of illicit fentanyl. The\u2062 senators, including Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and James \u200cLankford (R-OK), are concerned\u200b about Chinese vendors using\u200c online networks to market fentanyl analogs and precursor chemicals, which are then shipped directly to customers in the United States.<\/p>\n<h3>Protecting\u2063 Americans from Dangerous Chemicals<\/h3>\n<p>In the letter, the \u200bsenators emphasize the responsibility of social media companies to prevent the\u2063 distribution of harmful substances.\u2063 They highlight how drug dealers\u200d exploit the platform to conduct illegal activities and endanger \u200dthe lives of Americans. The senators also provide evidence\u2062 of users openly attempting to sell these chemicals on social media platforms, using Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry numbers to facilitate their transactions.<\/p>\n<h3>Fighting the \u2064Fentanyl \u200bEpidemic<\/h3>\n<p>Sen. Joni Ernst expressed her concern over Meta&#8217;s role in enabling the Chinese Communist Party to\u2063 infiltrate American \u2064communities\u2062 with\u200d deadly\u2062 fentanyl. She demands \u2062that Zuckerberg close this loophole \u200dand take action \u2062to protect American lives.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year,\u2062 the \u2062Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator, Anne Milgram, revealed that\u2062 social media\u200b companies were not \u2064cooperating with the agency to prevent fentanyl sales and disrupt the chemical supply chain. The senators&#8217; letter seeks answers\u2062 from Zuckerberg on\u200b how Meta plans\u200b to address \u200dthis issue and combat the fentanyl epidemic.<\/p>\n<h3>Call for Action<\/h3>\n<p>The senators have requested \u200ba \u2064response from\u200d Zuckerberg by November 17th, urging him to\u2062 provide clarity on Meta&#8217;s strategy to crack down on the sale of\u2062 these dangerous chemicals. It is worth \u200bnoting that no Democratic senators signed the letter, indicating a potential partisan divide on this \u200dissue.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How have fentanyl-related deaths in the United States changed in recent years, according to data from the CDC?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Owa), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and Sen. \u2062Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), has drafted a letter urging Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to take\u200b action against the proliferating illicit fentanyl sales on the social media platform. The letter, signed by the senators, expresses their deep concern over the alarming rise in deaths related to fentanyl overdoses \u2062and emphasizes the role\u200d played by \u200bonline platforms in facilitating these illicit sales.<\/p>\n<p>Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid\u2063 that is 50 times more potent than heroin, has become a major contributor to the opioid crisis \u200bravaging communities across the United States. According to\u200b recent data from\u2064 the\u2062 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl-related deaths\u200b have skyrocketed, with\u200b an \u2063estimated 36,500 deaths\u2063 recorded in 2019 alone.\u200d This represents a staggering 93%\u2064 increase over the previous year&#8217;s figures.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2063senators assert that Meta, as the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has a moral and ethical obligation \u2062to address \u200cthis grave\u200b situation. They \u2062argue that these platforms should not serve as conduits for illegal drug sales which put countless lives\u2064 at risk. The letter points out that \u200calthough \u2063Meta has made commendable efforts to combat other forms of illicit activities on its platforms, such as sex trafficking and terrorist propaganda, the issue of fentanyl\u2062 sales has\u2064 not \u2062received adequate attention.<\/p>\n<p>The senators demand that Meta adopt more\u200c stringent measures to prevent the sale\u200d and distribution of illicit fentanyl on\u2064 its platforms. They insist that the company must develop and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ernst-leads-push-to-crack-down-on-online-sales-of-chemicals-used-to-make-fentanyl\/\" title=\"Ernst spearheads crackdown on online fentanyl chemical sales.\">deploy advanced technological tools<\/a> to identify and remove listings that promote this dangerous drug. Furthermore, they propose collaborating with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-governor-encourages-people-to-call-police-on-neighbors-violating-covid-orders\/\" title=\"Oregon Governor Encourages People To Call Police On Neighbors Violating COVID Orders\">law enforcement agencies<\/a> to share relevant information and enhance the effectiveness of combating these illicit activities.<\/p>\n<p>The letter also highlights the importance of proactive partnerships between Meta and \u200bvarious stakeholders, including\u2063 government agencies, advocacy organizations, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-year-of-living-fearfully\/\" title=\"The Year of Living Fearfully\">substance abuse treatment centers<\/a>. By working together, these\u2063 entities can develop comprehensive strategies to \u2064address the fentanyl crisis, including raising awareness, providing \u200bresources for addiction\u2062 treatment, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gun-owners-threaten-immediate-lawsuits-over-biden-order-increasing-background-checks\/\" title=\"Gun owners threaten immediate lawsuits over Biden order increasing background checks\">supporting law enforcement efforts<\/a> \u200cto dismantle criminal networks.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, the senators underscore the\u2063 significance of Meta using its considerable technological capabilities to develop \u200bsystems that \u2064can effectively track \u2064and trace the origin of illicit fentanyl sales. \u200dBy doing so, law enforcement \u2064authorities will be better equipped to target the source and disrupt the supply chain, ultimately saving lives and preventing future devastation.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the group of Republican senators urges Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to \u200bprioritize \u200dthe fight against\u200c illicit fentanyl sales on his platforms. They \u200bemphasize the urgent need to form robust \u2062partnerships with government agencies and advocacy organizations, implement advanced technological\u200d safeguards, and support law \u2062enforcement efforts to dismantle criminal networks. By taking decisive action, Meta can play a pivotal \u200brole\u200c in preventing further tragedies and effectively combating \u200bthe fentanyl crisis that continues to claim\u2062 countless lives across the nation. It is imperative for Meta to act swiftly and\u200d responsibly to protect the well-being of its users and the\u200c communities it serves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and 7 GOP senators wrote to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging stronger measures against the sale of chemicals aiding drug traffickers in producing illicit fentanyl. Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Marsha. (55 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2073164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2073163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2073163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2073163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2073164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2073163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2073163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2073163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}