Benton Times

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 27, known as the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, with support from Congressman Steve Womack of Arkansas' 3rd District. Womack is a cosponsor of this bill, which seeks to permanently extend the Schedule I classification for fentanyl-related substances initiated under President Trump in 2018. This measure aims to equip law enforcement with necessary tools to combat the spread of dangerous illicit drugs.

Congressman Womack stated, “Far too many Americans have fallen victim to the horrific illicit drug epidemic. We can save lives and prevent families from experiencing this heartbreak by securing the border and making the HALT Fentanyl Act law. This commonsense legislation cracks down on criminal drug traffickers and keeps these lethal substances off our streets.”

Fentanyl and its related substances are significantly more potent than morphine, ranging from 50 to 100 times stronger, and are easier to produce compared to cocaine or heroin. Currently, these substances fall under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act due to an emergency order set to expire on March 31, 2025.

If this emergency scheduling order expires without legislative action:

- Many fentanyl-related substances could become legal on the street.

- Law enforcement would lose authority over these potent drugs.

- Drug traffickers might exploit legal loopholes by altering fentanyl's chemical structure slightly.

- U.S. Customs and Border Protection would be unable to seize such substances at borders.

H.R. 27 addresses these concerns by making the class-wide scheduling order permanent for fentanyl-related substances, aiming to protect American communities from these lethal drugs. Additionally, it allows practitioners to research these substances further in order to understand their effects on human health better.