Title 22Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§2291l Prioritization of efforts of the Department of State to combat international trafficking in covered synthetic drugs

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 32— - FOREIGN ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT › Part Part VIII— - International Narcotics Control › § 2291l

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of State must make fighting international trafficking of covered synthetic drugs a top priority for the State Department. To do that, the Department must improve data collection in the U.S. and other countries (more drug use surveys, more wastewater testing when helpful, and sharing the results), work more with international drug and regulator agencies including the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, give technical help and equipment to foreign law enforcement under section 2291m, and run exchange programs for government and nongovernment staff to train on reducing drug demand under section 2291n. Within one year after December 23, 2022, the Secretary must send a report on these efforts to the following congressional committees: Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, Appropriations, and the Judiciary; and House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Appropriations, and the Judiciary.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §2291l

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of State shall prioritize efforts of the Department of State to combat international trafficking of covered synthetic drugs by carrying out programs and activities to include the following:
(1)Supporting increased data collection by the United States and foreign countries through increased drug use surveys among populations, increased use of wastewater testing where appropriate, and multilateral sharing of that data.
(2)Engaging in increased consultation and partnership with international drug agencies, including the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, regulatory agencies in foreign countries, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
(3)Carrying out programs to provide technical assistance and equipment, as appropriate, to strengthen the capacity of foreign law enforcement agencies with respect to covered synthetic drugs, as required by section 2291m of this title.
(4)Carrying out exchange programs for governmental and nongovernmental personnel in the United States and in foreign countries to provide educational and professional development on demand reduction matters relating to the illicit use of covered synthetic drugs and other drugs, as required by section 2291n of this title.
(b)(1)Not later than one year after December 23, 2022, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of this section.
(2)In this subsection, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
(A)the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and
(B)the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Fighting Emerging Narcotics Through Additional Nations to Yield Lasting Results Act, also known as the FENTANYL Results Act, and also as part of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, and not as part of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Rule of

Construction

Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LV, § 5557, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3344, provided that: “Nothing in this subtitle [subtitle C (§§ 5551–5558) of title LV of div. E of Pub. L. 117–263, see

Short Title

of 2022 Amendment note set out under section 2151 of this title] or the

Amendments

made by this subtitle shall be construed to affect the prioritization of extradition requests.” Definitions Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LV, § 5558, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3344, provided that: “In this subtitle [subtitle C (§§ 5551–5558) of title LV of div. E of Pub. L. 117–263, see

Short Title

of 2022 Amendment note set out under section 2151 of this title]: “(1) Controlled substance; controlled substance analogue.—The terms ‘controlled substance’ and ‘controlled substance analogue’ have the meanings given those terms in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802). “(2) Covered synthetic drug.—The term ‘covered synthetic drug’ means—“(A) a synthetic controlled substance or synthetic controlled substance analogue, including fentanyl or a fentanyl analogue; or “(B) a new psychoactive substance. “(3) New psychoactive substance.—The term ‘new psychoactive substance’ means a substance of abuse, or any preparation thereof, that—“(A) is not—“(i) included in any schedule as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.); or “(ii) controlled by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, done at New York
March 30, 1961, or the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, done at Vienna
February 21, 1971; “(B) is new or has reemerged on the illicit market; and “(C) poses a threat to the public health and safety.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 2291l

Title 22Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73