United States Drug Enforcement Administration

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration concluded its inaugural Fentanyl Free America Summit alongside CADCA’s 25th Annual Mid-Year Training Institute with more than 2,500 participants – including leaders in law enforcement, prevention, public health, education, recovery, faith communities, and more than 350 youth – to strengthen the nation’s coordinated response to the fentanyl crisis. 

In his opening remarks, DEA Administrator Terry Cole announced the results of DEA’s fourth fentanyl enforcement effort in the last year. From June 1 through July 11, 2026, DEA seized more than four million fentanyl pills and 1,158 kilograms fentanyl powder, which represents a suspected total in excess of 50 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl removed from our communities.

“The fentanyl fight is not one we can afford to lose. This inaugural summit brought together leaders from law enforcement, prevention, education, and faith-based organizations because protecting our communities requires all of us working together,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue the foreign terrorist organizations responsible for flooding our country with fentanyl while strengthening the partnerships needed to educate our communities, prevent fentanyl poisoning and overdose deaths, and support those impacted by this crisis. My hope is that the momentum created here continues long after this summit, because achieving a Fentanyl Free America demands our shared, sustained commitment.”

The summit advanced DEA’s initiative by fostering partnerships, sharing evidence-based strategies, and reinforcing a unified commitment to protecting communities, preventing overdose deaths, and supporting individuals and families affected by fentanyl. 

Held in collaboration with the CADCA Mid-Year Institute, the summit demonstrated what can be achieved by working together. 

“This week in Orlando showed what’s possible when the coalition movement and the Drug Enforcement Administration come together under one roof, united by a single goal of protecting our communities from the fentanyl crisis,” said CADCA President and CEO General Barrye L. Price, Ph.D. “The inaugural DEA Fentanyl Free America Summit alongside our 25th Annual Mid-Year Training Institute was a demonstration of what's possible when prevention science, community-level action, and federal law enforcement work in lockstep.”

The summit featured educational sessions and collaborative discussions focused on strengthening the nation’s response to the overdose and poisoning crisis through the three pillars of the initiative:

• Protect by disrupting criminal organizations, maintaining a secure controlled substance supply chain, and strengthening public partnerships.
• Prevent overdose and poisoning deaths by expanding evidence-based education, empowering youth leaders, and building sustainable community prevention capacity.
• Support the families and loved ones impacted by fentanyl, engage faith-based communities, and ensure those affected by substance use have pathways to hope and healing. 

Participants also explored how emerging data, intelligence sharing, and cross-sector collaboration are helping communities reduce overdose deaths while building long-term resilience against synthetic substances. 

The summit featured senior leaders from across government, including U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, ONDCP Director Sara Carter, Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL), and Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma, who served as speakers and as panelists for “The Voices of Leadership: Protect, Prevent, and Support for a Fentanyl Free America.”  The segment addressed the importance of federal, state, local, tribal, and international cooperation to fight the fentanyl threat across the United States and emphasized that lasting progress requires sustained collaboration across every level of government and the continued integration of enforcement, prevention, education and community engagement to protect American lives.

DEA also introduced its latest prevention tool – Hidden on Your Kid’s Phone – during this week’s summit. The video series is designed to give parents information and skills to help identify risks, understand warning signs and monitor behavior. It also provides tools to encourage effective conversations about being safe online. The videos can be watched at home or are downloadable to be shared with a group.

To support the importance of wellness in the fight to achieve a Fentanyl Free America, hundreds of attendees Walked Away from Fentanyl during a one-mile fun run and took part in a morning yoga session.

DEA also presented the first-ever Fentanyl Free America Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations for their important work in support of one or more of the three pillars of the Fentanyl Free America Campaign. These awardees have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership, and measurable impact in protecting communities from the deadly effects of illicit fentanyl. This year’s Fentanyl Free America Award recipients are:

Excellence in Protection

• Lt. Mike HotzMetro Nashville Police Department
• Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, HIDTA Drug Related Death Task Force

Excellence in Prevention 

• Laura Lynch, an Angel mom from Seattle, Washington. 
• The Alaska Fentanyl Response Coalition, Sandy Snodgrass

Excellence in Support 

• Dr. Joe Anthony Sepulveda, Chief of Psychiatry at the Family Health Centers of San Diego, CA 
• Operation UNITE in Kentucky

Administrator’s Excellence Awards

• Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma 
• Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz
• San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez

Submissions for all the nominees and award recipients can be found at https://www.dea.gov/fentanyl-free-america-awards. 

While overdose deaths continue to trend downward nationally, leaders throughout the summit emphasized that progress is not victory. Sustaining that momentum will require continued enforcement against terrorist drug cartels, investment in community-based prevention, support for recovery, and strong partnerships across every sector. 

The Fentanyl Free America initiative will continue building on the partnerships forged during the summit to help communities protect lives and move closer to a Fentanyl Free America.

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