JD Vance Says There's Fentanyl In Our Teens' Marijuana - So Shouldn't We Legalize And Regulate Cannabis ASAP For Safety?

This article was originally published on Cannabis.net and appears here with permission.

During a recent campaign event with the Milwaukee Police Association in Wisconsin, Senator JD Vance (R-OH) made a provocative assertion that "fentanyl is in our marijuana bags that our teenagers are using." This statement was not merely an isolated comment but part of a broader narrative that links the opioid crisis to the Biden administration's border policies. Vance expressed deep concerns about the potential dangers that substances might pose to his children as they grow up, highlighting the need for a safer environment for youth experimentation with drugs. He articulated a parental anxiety that many share, fearing that a single mistake could have irreversible consequences for their children. By framing his argument in this manner, Vance aims to resonate with parents who are increasingly worried about the safety of their children in a world where drug use is prevalent. However, Vance's claims have sparked significant controversy and pushback from various advocates and regulatory bodies, which argue that there is little to no evidence supporting the idea of fentanyl contamination in cannabis products. Experts from organizations like the Partnership to End Addiction emphasize that fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, is destroyed when burned, rendering it ineffective if mixed with marijuana.                   

Furthermore, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has not issued any alerts regarding fentanyl being found in cannabis, suggesting that the narrative surrounding fentanyl-laced marijuana may be more sensational than factual. As the debate continues, it raises critical questions about the intersection of drug policy, public health, and the responsibilities of lawmakers to base their claims on scientific evidence rather than anecdotal fears.

Reasons Why Fentanyl-Laced Marijuana is Unlikely

Several factors contribute to the unlikelihood of fentanyl being present in marijuana products:

• Burning Destroys Fentanyl

• Fentanyl is destroyed when burned, including when in a joint, blunt, or other means of smoking marijuana.

• Even if fentanyl is mixed with marijuana flower, it will have no effect on a person who is smoking it.

• Vape Pen Temperatures are Too Low

• Most commonly available vape pens don't reach temperatures over 450 degrees Fahrenheit, as higher temperatures would destroy the substances they are intended to be used with, including marijuana.

• Vape pens would have to reach temperatures closer to 900 degrees Fahrenheit to vaporize fentanyl.

• Even  if the marijuana is contaminated or mixed with fentanyl, the fentanyl would be destroyed before it's absorbed.

• Liver Breaks Down Edibles

If fentanyl is baked into a brownie or put in some other kind of edible, the risk is very low because fentanyl is broken down by the liver, with little chance of reaching the brain.

• No Profits to be Made

• According to Leafly, a site devoted to the sale of marijuana products, it doesn’t make sense to add fentanyl to marijuana from a cost standpoint.

• As an example, “a weed dealer would have to spend $40 on a fentanyl patch, successfully extract the drug from the patch, and then “lace” a $30 gram of their best weed to live up to these fantasies. In a best-case economic scenario, the dealer is losing $10 on every sale.”

• Fentanyl is an expensive drug, and adding it to marijuana would not be profitable for drug dealers.

• The costs associated with extracting and adding fentanyl to marijuana outweigh any potential benefits for drug dealers.

• Police and Media Mistakes

According to Leafly, a site dedicated to marijuana products, it is economically unfeasible for drug dealers to add fentanyl to marijuana; for instance, a dealer would need to spend $40 on a fentanyl patch, extract the drug, and then lace it into a $30 gram of marijuana, resulting in a loss of $10 per sale in the best-case scenario. Given that fentanyl is an expensive drug, the costs associated with its extraction and addition to marijuana outweigh any potential profits, making it impractical for dealers to engage in this practice.

• No DEA Alerts

• The DEA has recently issued alerts about fentanyl-laced fake pills like Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, and Xanax, as well as fentanyl laced with Xylazine, but they have not issued alerts about marijuana.

• There are about 55 million people in the U.S. who use marijuana.

• Vance's Limited Cannabis Policy Record

• Vance, who was elected to Congress in 2022, doesn’t have an extensive cannabis policy record.

• His limited actions and comments on the issue indicate that he’s aligned with Trump on one key issue: He backs the rights of states to set their own marijuana laws.

• He’s also indicated that he’s against incarcerating people over low-level possession.

• However, he voted against bipartisan banking legislation that passed in committee and has argued that states that have enacted legalization should increase enforcement activities, complained about the smell of cannabis multiple times and suggested that its use can lead to violence.

• Vance’s limited record on cannabis policy suggests that his claim about fentanyl-laced marijuana may be more politically motivated than based on scientific evidence.

Conclusion

While Senator JD Vance’s assertion regarding the presence of fentanyl in marijuana may have been intended to draw attention to the pressing issues of the opioid crisis and border security, it fundamentally lacks a solid foundation in factual evidence and stands in stark contradiction to the findings presented by experts and regulatory authorities. The overwhelming consensus among professionals in the field is that the likelihood of fentanyl contamination in cannabis products is exceedingly low, a reality that is further underscored by Vance’s relatively limited record on cannabis policy. This raises concerns that his statement may be more politically motivated than grounded in scientific reality, potentially serving to exploit public fears rather than address them with informed discourse.

In light of these considerations, experts and advocates continue to stress the critical importance of developing evidence-based policies and enhancing public education to effectively tackle the genuine challenges posed by substance abuse and the ongoing opioid epidemic. The need for a regulatory framework that ensures safety and accountability in drug use is paramount, yet Vance’s comments do not align with this objective. Instead, they perpetuate a narrative that lacks empirical support, diverting attention from the real issues at hand and hindering constructive dialogue on how best to protect communities and individuals from the dangers of drug misuse.

This article is from an external unpaid contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.