Battling the substance abuse epidemic that has crippled Appalachia is a multi-faceted fight. Among the tools requested by law enforcement has been a way to help stop the flood of fentanyl at its source. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has finally managed to get something done about that.

With the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, the president will now have the ability to sanction drug traffickers and gangs. (FEND stands for fentanyl eradication and narcotics deterrence.)

“The FEND Off Fentanyl Act is a sanctions and anti-money laundering bill to help combat the country’s fentanyl crisis by targeting opioid traffickers devastating America’s communities,” reads the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs one-pager on the act. “The bill will enhance current law so U.S. government agencies can more effectively disrupt illicit opioid supply chains and penalize those facilitating the trafficking of fentanyl. The bill also ensures that sanctions are imposed not only on the illicit drug trade, but also on the money laundering that makes it profitable.”

Brown worked with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., to bring the bill to the finish line, eventually as part of the foreign aid package that was passed recently.

Few states have been hit harder by the substance abuse epidemic than Ohio. Only West Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky, Delaware and New Mexico have higher drug overdose mortality rates. FEND should make a difference for the Buckeye State and for those across the country who will welcome the added support in their struggle.

“Fentanyl has taken too many lives and caused too much devastation in Ohio. FEND Off Fentanyl will save lives by going directly after the drug cartels’ billions in illicit profits, targeting the entire fentanyl supply chain and sanctioning illicit opioid traffickers and money launderers in China and Mexico,” said Brown.

Brown is to be commended for his diligence — and his willingness to work across the aisle — to get that done.