House Passes Bill to Increase Penalties for Fentanyl Trafficking, Sending Measure to President’s Desk

The House of Representatives voted in favor of the Senate bill on June 12 to reclassify fentanyl as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The law passed 321-104, with only one Republican vote. “The schedule of controlled substances is a drug, substance, or chemical that is likely to be abused and has no currently accepted medical value. It is subject to regulatory control and control, civil and criminal penalties,” the Senate said on its website. Under the bill, new fentanyl-related crimes have been established, with over 100 grams causing mandatory prison sentences of at least 10 years. The Act also establishes a new registration process for research using controlled substances.