The Senate passed a bipartisan bill Friday to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances (fentanyl analogs) as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.
The HALT Fentanyl Act passed with 84 votes, aiming to close loopholes that traffickers exploit by slightly altering fentanyl’s chemical structure to evade legal penalties.
“This bill says, ‘OK, it’s illegal to bring in fentanyl.’ But traffickers try to circumvent the law by making minor changes so they can claim, ‘Oh, it’s not fentanyl, you can’t bust me,’” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the bill’s sponsor. “But it still addicts and kills like fentanyl, so it should be treated as fentanyl by law enforcement.”
Democrats opposed the bill, arguing it could increase incarceration and hinder research. However, Republican sponsors claim it reduces bureaucratic barriers to studying fentanyl analogs. A Stanford drug policy expert also noted that fentanyl analogs are already illegal, questioning concerns about increased incarceration.
The bill does not introduce new mandatory minimum sentences but applies the same sentencing guidelines used for fentanyl itself.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., emphasized the need for Congress to act quickly as the drug crisis evolves. Other measures under consideration include cracking down on the veterinary drug xylazine, which is often mixed with fentanyl to make it more addictive.
