Sens. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) have introduced the bipartisan No Fentanyl on Social Media Act. The legislation aims to address concerns about minors accessing fentanyl through social media platforms.
If enacted, the bill would require the Federal Trade Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, to submit a report to Congress detailing how minors are obtaining fentanyl via social media. The report would include policy recommendations to counteract this issue.
Fentanyl remains a leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Lawmakers highlighted growing evidence that social media is being used by traffickers to reach young people.
“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.
Klobuchar added, “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.”
Cassidy stated, “Social media marketing fentanyl is allowing pushers to enter into our households. We need to stop it.”
Blunt Rochester noted, “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.”
The proposed report would assess data on how teens are accessing fentanyl through social media apps both intentionally and unintentionally. It would also examine platform design features that may facilitate trafficking as well as evaluate current law enforcement actions and policies intended to combat online drug sales.
A companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.).
This initiative builds on previous efforts led by Husted aimed at combating fentanyl trafficking and enhancing child safety online. He previously supported the HALT Fentanyl Act—which became law in July 2025—to permanently classify all fentanyl-related substances as controlled substances under federal law.
Husted also introduced the CHAT Act requiring AI chatbot operators to restrict minors’ access to sexually explicit content through age verification measures.
