WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed the HALT Fentanyl Act, which will supply law enforcement with the tools needed to keep illicit fentanyl off our streets, make the class-wide scheduling order for fentanyl-related substances permanent, and support research efforts to understand the impact of fentanyl-related substances.
“Illicit fentanyl is killing our friends and family members in the District and across the nation,” said Van Orden. “We are arming our law enforcement officers with the tools they need to stop this scourge, and I strongly encourage President Biden to sign it into law.”
Illicit fentanyl poisonings are now the number one cause of death among adults 18-49—more than COVID-19, cancer, heart disease, and car accidents. Wisconsin lost 1,280 people to fentanyl overdoses in 2021.
Under current law, starting December January 1, 2025, fentanyl related substances will no longer be Schedule I and effectively legal unless the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) schedules each specific chemical formula one by one. The HALT Fentanyl Act will permanently place the class in Schedule I to remove incentive for the creation of new fentanyl related substances.