AG Moody Urges President Biden to Declare Fentanyl a Weapon of Mass Destruction Following Florida Overdose Tragedies

July 18, 2022 Updated 4:40 P.M. ET

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Attorney General Ashley Moody called on President Joe Biden to classify illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction, following two mass overdose incidents in a week in Florida and increasing deaths across the country.

In Tampa last week, seven people were found unresponsive at a convenience store after consuming drugs laced with fentanyl and a veterinary tranquilizer. Over the July 4th weekend, at least 19 people overdosed on fentanyl with nine people dying in Gadsden County.

Attorney General Moody sent a letter to President Biden asking him to classify fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction. This would enable and require parts of the federal government to coordinate a uniform response to illicit fentanyl.

“Border patrol has seized enough fentanyl to the kill the entire American population many times over. With that in mind, and the recent mass overdose events in Hillsborough and Gadsden counties, I am demanding President Biden classify illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass Destruction,” Moody said in a press release.

Fentanyl has become the leading cause of death among adults ages 18 to 45. Moody said in her letter that fentanyl claimed more young lives than COVID-19, cancer, car accidents, or suicide.

Moody told Biden he has “done little to abate this American tragedy” and said his policies exacerbated the death toll.

“While there are many acts and steps that your administration could take, like stopping the overwhelming influx of illegal immigrants and further fortifying the southern border, I realize that your administration will not or is incapable of taking those actions,” Moody said in the letter.

Read the full letter here.

A Weapon of Mass Destruction is a nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological or other device intended to harm a large number of people, according to DHS. Moody’s office cited a Federal Bureau of Investigation report that said “fentanyl is very likely a viable option for a chemical weapon attack.”

Moody said in her letter that the Russian army purportedly weaponized fentanyl to end a hostage crisis 20 years ago.

“The federal government already works to disrupt the supply chains of other chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons—it’s not hard to imagine that similar tactics could be used to reduce the flow of illicit fentanyl into the U.S. through cartels in Mexico—and save countless American lives,” Moody said in a press release.

Attorney General Moody in a Fox News interview Monday said these drugs are being manufactured in mass quantities and flowing through the southern border. Moody said the drug is extraordinarily cheap for the drug dealers to lace with other substances.

Moody had previously urged the president to make fentanyl and primary topic of conversation with Mexico’s president last week. However, she was disappointed to hear that the topic was only mentioned briefly.

“We’ve been pleading with this administration to do more,” Moody said in an interview with Fox News. “And what did we hear about? Some operation that he’s been talking about since April.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis has slammed the Biden Administration for “disastrous” policies leading to an influx of people and crime over the border. 

The DeSantis Administration created a task force in Northwest Florida to crack down on human smuggling and drug possession. Just in the first three days, law enforcement found enough fentanyl on smugglers, 4 grams, to kill 2,000 Floridians. 

Governor DeSantis also signed legislation that will increase penalties for those dealing and distributing fentanyl in Florida. The law goes into effect in October. 

“If you are dealing fentanyl, you are killing people and you are going to be put in jail,” DeSantis has said.