Reed introduces bill to enhance penalties for drug dealers in fentanyl-related overdose cases

Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) on Monday would enhance penalties for drug dealers who supply illegal substances laced with fentanyl that lead to death.

The Help Ensure Lives are Protected (HELP) Act, H.R. 6158, would enable federal prosecutors to pursue more severe penalties, including life in prison or the death penalty, in cases in which an overdose death from fentanyl-laced drugs can be linked to a drug dealer.

“We care about the families of every overdose victim in our community and the addicts that are struggling,” Reed said. “We’ve held several roundtable discussions and heard directly from the parents who have lost children to opioids and heroin. It’s only right that we hold those responsible for harming our loved ones accountable.”

Reed learned about the increase in overdose deaths linked to fentanyl-laced heroin in a number of roundtable discussions he hosted throughout New York.

Fentanyl is an extremely addictive substance that is 100 times more powerful than morphine. The number of deaths linked to synthetic opioids like fentanyl jumped 80 percent from 2013 to 2014.

Reed also supported the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act. Signed into law in July, the bill offers new prevention and treatment options through grants administered to states and groups of states.

“This is about justice for the victims and their families and giving our law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to stop the flow of these lethal substances into our communities,” Reed said.