(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law Wednesday afternoon, closing legal loopholes that prevented law enforcement from cracking down on drug traffickers.
The Republican-sponsored bill permanently classifies both fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I narcotics under the Controlled Substances Act, codifying actions taken by the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2018.
Although fentanyl is illegal nationwide, traffickers have skirted the law by making slightly altered versions of the opioid, which are still highly potent but chemically modified just enough to avoid being classified as fentanyl.
Additionally, the HALT Fentanyl Act imposes a mandatory 10-year minimum prison sentence on traffickers and distributors of fentanyl-related substances, as well as promotes research on Schedule I drugs.
“Today, we strike a righteous blow to the drug dealers, narcotic traffickers, and criminal cartels … and we take a historic step toward justice for every family touched by the fentanyl scourge,” Trump said during the bill signing ceremony. “We’ll be getting the drug dealers, peddlers, and pushers off our streets, and we will not rest until we have ended the drug overdose epidemic.”
Fentanyl was previously a Schedule II drug, meaning it is highly addictive but has legitimate medical uses, such as pain management. Schedule I drugs, such as heroin and LSD, are classified as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Opponents of the legislation, mostly Democrats, are worried the change could hamper the development of fentanyl overdose treatments. They also argue that the fentanyl crisis should be addressed through the lens of public health, not criminal justice.
As of 2024, nearly 70% of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. involved synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. More than 52,000 people died from fentanyl or fentanyl-related drugs that year, a 33% decline from 2023 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since assuming office in January, the Trump administration has made border security top-of-mind, designating Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and directing the Department of Justice to seek maximum sentences on fentanyl traffickers.
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has completed dozens of successful foreign drug ring busts, seized over 400,000 pounds of fentanyl, and slowed illegal border crossings to the lowest level in American history.
ICE and other national security agencies have also arrested tens of thousands of migrants illegally living in the U.S. and deported those who have allegedly committed serious crimes, sparking protests nationwide.
