Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. David Trone, D-Md., on Monday requested that the State Department issue a travel advisory to all Americans to warn them about the dangers of buying pharmaceuticals from Mexican pharmacies.
In their letter, the lawmakers referenced multiple reports of pharmacies located in popular Mexican tourist spots selling counterfeit prescription drugs that were laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine.
"We write to urge the State Department, which plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of Americans traveling abroad, to immediately issue a travel advisory warning of the dangers of buying adulterated pharmaceuticals from Mexican pharmacies," read the Markey-Trone letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Consequently, Trone and Markey are worried this drug situation would put many American travelers, perhaps unaware of cheap medication being laced with fentanyl — the leading cause of death among U.S. adults, ages 18-45 — at risk of overdose and death.
"We must continue to work to reduce the incentives for Americans to travel abroad because cheaper medication is available there, ensure we have adequate tools at home to combat substance use disorder, and ultimately reduce the demand for opioids and other drugs that are fueling our epidemic," the letter read.
With the query now public, the State Department could be pressured into putting out a travel advisory for Mexico, even spots that are well-regarded for security.
As part of that, Markey and Trone wanted to know if Blinken would be willing to work with other agencies to reduce incentives for Americans traveling to Mexico to purchase cheaper drugs.
Markey and Trone have requested a response from the State Department by March 30.
Last month, the Los Angeles Times reported pharmacies in several northwestern cities in Mexico were selling fentanyl-laced prescription drugs and marketing the pills as "legitimate pharmaceuticals."
According to the newspaper's reporting, it "found that pills sold as oxycodone tested positive for fentanyl, while pills sold as Adderall tested positive for methamphetamine."
The Times' investigation found that 71% of the 17 pills collected tested positive for more potent drugs.
Also, a study conducted by UCLA yielded similar results: 11 pharmacies in northwest Mexico were selling drugs with traces of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The researchers also found that 68% of the 40 pharmacies had "at least one controlled substance for sale without a prescription, either in bottles or individual pills."
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