Attorney General Dave Sunday has urged the U.S. Senate to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, joining a coalition from multiple states to combat the trafficking of fentanyl-related substances. These variants, often termed as “copycat fentanyl,” previously bypassed stringent legal penalties due to loopholes in the federal Controlled Substance Act.
The HALT Fentanyl Act aims to permanently classify both fentanyl and its variants as Class I substances, reflecting their high abuse potential and lack of medical usage. This move follows the temporary scheduling which is set to expire on March 31.
The urgency of this legislation is underscored by data from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, which reported the seizure of nearly 3 million doses of fentanyl, including 50,000 pills of fentanyl variants, between 2023 and 2024. The widespread distribution of these potent substances has been linked to significant American casualties, comparable to the number of deaths in World War II, exacerbated by illicit smuggling across the U.S. southern border.
The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the HALT Fentanyl Act with a significant bipartisan majority. The coalition, led by Iowa, Virginia, and including Pennsylvania among others, now looks to the Senate for timely approval to close these critical legal gaps permanently.
