U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) on March 16 cosponsored legislation that would list fentanyl-related substances as schedule I controlled substances, which are defined by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as drugs currently having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
“Fentanyl is 80-100 times stronger than morphine,” Rep. Latta said. “According to the Ohio Department of Health Violence and Injury Prevention Section, this extremely powerful, addictive and dangerous substance was involved in 76 percent of overdose deaths in Ohio in 2019.”
Congress last year passed a temporary extension that continued to criminalize fentanyl analogs until May 6, 2021. If enacted, the Federal Initiative to Guarantee Health by Targeting (FIGHT) Fentanyl Act, H.R. 1910, which Rep. Latta introduced with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), would end the necessity to continue passing temporary extensions, according to Rep. Latta’s office.
“If we don’t act together now to fight fentanyl, we will continue to see thousands of Americans lose their lives for years to come,” said Rep. Latta. “I am encouraged this bill builds on previous work in Congress to stop the spread of fentanyl in our communities.”
H.R. 1910 has been referred for consideration to both the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.