The House of Representatives gave its overwhelming approval on Thursday to a bill that categorizes the potent opiate fentanyl as one of the most hazardous drugs out there. This move paves the way for traffickers to face mandatory minimum sentences for distributing this highly addictive and fatal chemical. The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act was passed with a vote of 312-108, as 98 Democrats joined 214 Republicans in saying “aye.” This legislation permanently reclassifies fentanyl as a Schedule I drug, denoting that it has no recognized medical use and a high likelihood of abuse. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), other drugs in the Schedule I category include heroin, LSD, marijuana, ecstasy, and peyote. Furthermore, this bill aims to close the “analogues loophole,” which allows traffickers to modify a chemical element of the opioid to evade restrictions on pure fentanyl.
Fentanyl’s devastating impact is evidenced by the tens of thousands of lives it claims in the United States annually. Republicans in Congress resurrected the HALT Fentanyl Act after it stalled in the Senate in 2023.
Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), one of the bill’s authors, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “According to the DEA’s 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment, fentanyl continues to be the primary driver of the ongoing epidemic of drug-related deaths in the United States. HALT Fentanyl enables the DEA to pursue those trafficking fentanyl-related substances and safeguard American communities.”
The first Trump administration had initially deemed fentanyl a Schedule I drug in 2018, and this classification had been extended multiple times. The temporary designation is slated to expire on March 31. In 2023, the House passed the HALT Fentanyl Act with a 289-133 vote, only for the bill to flounder in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) voiced support for the bill, remarking, “It’s the most obvious thing in the world to be in support of. Fentanyl is meant for use in the operating room and on the battlefield. It should not be mixed into street drugs and sold online to young individuals.”
Critics of the bill raised concerns that it could lead to a surge in domestic prison populations and argued that it might not be an effective means of reducing fentanyl overdose deaths. Fentanyl has wrought havoc in communities across the nation and has become a significant political issue during the 2024 election season.
In 2023, there were an estimated 74,702 overdose fatalities from synthetic opioids, predominantly fentanyl, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) underscored the importance of the bill, stating during a press conference, “It empowers law enforcement to confiscate these lethal drugs and pursue their manufacturers and
