On December 15, the Trump administration, through an executive order, classified fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD), casting those who use and sell fentanyl as purveyors of a hazardous, toxic substance in the same class as Anthrax and Ricin. While the ramifications of this classification are unclear, the designation itself has the power to cause irreparable harm by contributing to the stigma and dehumanization of people who use drugs, fueling misinformation about fentanyl, and diverting needed resources and legislative attention away from proven solutions to the overdose crisis.

As people who have lost loved ones to overdose, we know firsthand the harms of stigma and fearmongering language. The framing of fentanyl as a WMD will reinforce the existing fear and hostility toward people who use fentanyl and other substances. Those who use drugs will be seen not just as disposable, but as active threats to people and those they love by bringing a WMD into their communities. Because of this fear, public health solutions to fentanyl and the overdose crisis will be further undermined and overshadowed, leaving those who use drugs without help, and more will die.

The potential public policy harms of this decision are extensive. The fear and misinformation surrounding fentanyl and the people who use it were already immense, fueling false claims and panic. Among them are the inaccurate assertions that fentanyl is instantly addictive, which has led people to refuse its use in medical procedures, and that incidental contact with fentanyl will cause an overdose. Framing fentanyl as a WMD will undoubtedly escalate this fearmongering and misinformation, making it impossible to adopt rational, science-based policies that would actually save lives.

This executive order reinforces the Trump administration’s position that harm reduction programs – proven services that help people who use drugs stay healthy, alive, and connected to people who care about them – are antithetical to the health and safety of the citizens of this country. It will provide those at the state and local levels who want a more punitive and militarized response to drug use with a potent justification for implementing these policies.

To truly protect Americans from the overdose crisis, we call on lawmakers to invest in health-based solutions proven to help people stay alive, including access to naloxone, drug checking, overdose prevention centers, and life-saving medications. To combat misguided and dangerous policies, we urge lawmakers to base their decisions on facts, evidence, and science, not on fallacious and fearmongering rhetoric of fentanyl as a WMD.