Reps. Evans and Dingell Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Stop Fentanyl Trafficking on Social Media

WASHINGTON, DC — Today Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) introduced the bipartisan No Fentanyl on Social Media Act legislation directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in coordination with the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on how minors to access fentanyl through social media platforms and to provide recommendations to address this growing threat. 

“As a former cop in Colorado, I have seen firsthand the devastating impacts that drug trafficking has on minors. As a father, I know how important it is that we do everything possible to protect our kids and future generations. With social media becoming increasingly prevalent and accessible to children in our country, it is more vital now than ever that we address the ways deadly drugs like fentanyl are trafficked into our communities so that we can keep young people and families safe.” — Congressman Gabe Evans 

“Having personally witnessed the danger of the opioid crisis in my own family, I have seen its devastating consequences and know we must do everything we can to combat it on all fronts. Unfortunately, we are seeing newer ways that young people are finding and buying fentanyl, including on social media. There must be safeguards in place to prevent kids from accessing fentanyl so easily through these platforms. This legislation will make sure we better understand how social media is contributing to the opioid crisis, and what we can do to address it.” — Congresswoman Dingell

The report required under the No Fentanyl on Social Media Act would examine not only instances where minors explicitly seek out the purchase of fentanyl on social media, but also cases where they unknowingly receive counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl or fentanyl analogues. The report will assess platform design features, trafficking tactics, the effectiveness of platform policies, and actions taken by law enforcement, medical experts and others to combat this crisis. 

Background

The introduction of this bill comes shortly after the largest single Fentanyl bust in Colorado’s history — and the 6th largest in the nation — on November 17, 2025. The record seizure contained 1.7 million counterfeit fentanyl pills, 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine, and another 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder. 

For context, 1.7 million counterfeit fentanyl pills can kill 850,000 Coloradans, and 1kg of pure fentanyl can kill 500,000 people, so that seizure was enough to kill 6.85 million people — every human in Colorado.

Colorado is in the midst of a severe fentanyl crisis, with its drug overdose rates declining at a significantly lower rate than most other states, remaining higher than before the pandemic and costing Coloradans more than $13 billion a year. Additionally, reflective of that tragic statistic, the state has the second highest teen overdose rates in the country according to a 2024 study. 

Prior to the bipartisan No Fentanyl on Social Media Act, Congressman Evans introduced the bipartisan Combatting Fentanyl Poisonings Act with Congressman Adam Gray (D-CA-13), establishing new grant programs to help state and local law enforcement agencies and non-profits stop fentanyl dealers, protect officers in the field and educate young people about the dangers of fentanyl and counterfeit drugs. 

The bill text can be found here.