The House passed legislation Thursday to permanently classify fentanyl as a Schedule I drug, which lawmakers say will allow law enforcement to be better equipped to prosecute drug traffickers and stop the flow of such substances.
In 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued a temporary scheduling order (TSO) for fentanyl as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), but the TSO is set to expire in March.
With the expiration date looming, Republican Reps. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., and Bob Latta, R-Ohio, introduced the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act that, if passed, would permanently amend the CSA to reflect the current scheduling order.
The legislation passed on Thursday with bipartisan support, 312-108, with 107 Democrats voting against its passage.
Schedule 1 drugs under the CSA are defined as “a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and mandatory minimum administrative, civil, and criminal penalties.”
The legislation also expands the mandatory minimum sentencing for manufacturing, importing, or possessing fentanyl-related substances with intent to distribute.
