Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) that permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act became law on July 16 with the president’s signature.
“With this law, we’re permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug so that the penalties can be put in place to dissuade more hard-working Americans from falling victim to the poison and make our neighborhoods safer,” Rep. Latta said during the White House signing ceremony.
“I thank President Trump for signing this vital legislation into law to add another tool in our fight to keep dangerous drugs off our streets and out of the hands of our communities across Ohio and the country,” added the congressman.
The president signed into law the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, S. 331, which Sen. Cassidy sponsored on Jan. 30 alongside 16 original cosponsors, including U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM). The bill is companion legislation to H.R. 27, which Rep. Latta cosponsored on Jan. 3 with U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA).
“President Trump and I are committed to stopping fentanyl overdoses and overdose related deaths,” said Sen. Cassidy on Wednesday. “My HALT Fentanyl Act, which he signed today, gives law enforcement one more tool to attack this problem.”
The U.S. Senate in March voted 84-16 to approve S. 331, which the U.S. House of Representatives then passed on June 12 with a 321-104 vote before sending it to the president to be signed into law.
Drug overdoses, largely driven by fentanyl, are the leading cause of death among young adults 18- to 45-years-old, according to information provided by Sen. Cassidy’s office.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2023 there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths — 74,702 of which were attributed to fentanyl, which is largely manufactured in Mexico from raw materials supplied by China, the information says.
With this new law, FRS now will be classified as a schedule I controlled substance, which is 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 administrative, civil, and criminal penalties.
“Today marks a crucial day in the fight against the opioid epidemic as my bipartisan HALT Fentanyl legislation is now the law of the land to help protect American communities by cracking down on deadly fentanyl-related substances and saving lives,” Rep. Latta said on July 16.