Senator Jon Husted has introduced legislation aimed at addressing the ongoing fentanyl crisis, particularly its impact on children through social media. Fentanyl remains the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States.
“Illegally sold fentanyl has devastated communities across Ohio, and every life lost to it is a tragedy. The disturbing reality is that drug traffickers are exploiting social media to target and manipulate our children—intentionally bypassing parents, teachers and other trusted adults who work every day to keep kids safe. Congress has a responsibility to protect children online from predators, and this bill is an important step toward understanding—and stopping—how traffickers use social media platforms to poison our kids,” said Husted.
The proposed No Fentanyl on Social Media Act seeks to require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to provide Congress with a report on how young people access fentanyl via social media platforms. Senator Amy Klobuchar commented, “Social media has become a gateway to drugs, and we must do everything we can to prevent young Americans from having their lives ruined by fentanyl they get online. Our bipartisan legislation will mandate the FTC provide a report to Congress on youth access to fentanyl through social media, which will provide us with key information to effectively fight this epidemic.”
Senator Bill Cassidy added, “Social media marketing fentanyl is allowing pushers to enter into our households. We need to stop it.” Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester stated, “The internet has the power to drive innovation, connection, and opportunity, but it also poses risks to its most vulnerable users. As children spend more time online, we must prevent their exposure to harmful activity, including illicit drug sales. The bipartisan No Fentanyl on Social Media Act is critical to fighting the opioid crisis and better protecting the next generation online.”
If enacted, the bill would ensure that Congress receives detailed data about how widespread this issue is as well as policy recommendations for addressing it. The report would examine platform design features that enable trafficking activities, tactics used by traffickers, effectiveness of current platform policies, and actions taken by law enforcement and medical professionals.
Recent trends show teens are both deliberately seeking out fentanyl and inadvertently purchasing drugs laced with fentanyl through social media apps. Despite these risks—and with these platforms acting as key marketplaces for minors—there is currently no comprehensive federal strategy or accurate data tracking this problem.
A companion version of the bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.).
This initiative builds upon Senator Husted’s previous efforts against fentanyl trafficking and child safety online. He supported the HALT Fentanyl Act signed into law in July 2025; this law made permanent an order regulating all fentanyl-related substances as controlled substances nationwide.
Additionally, Husted introduced the CHAT Act designed for child protection online by requiring AI chatbot operators to restrict minors’ access to sexually explicit content unless there is parental consent.
