BLUF: The House of Representatives passed the HALT Fentanyl Act to classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule 1 drugs, but this is a futile strategy to combat drug trafficking and overdose deaths.
The passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act by the House of Representatives to classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule 1 drugs is a flawed approach, as its predecessors have done little to reduce drug trafficking and overdose deaths. Politicians cannot predict future analogs’ medical potential, and Schedule 1 drugs have no current medical use and a high chance of abuse. But, setting that aside, the HALT Fentanyl Act includes mandatory minimum sentences, which have shown to be ineffective against drug dealing and use. Furthermore, mandatory minimums enable prosecutors to engage in coercive plea bargaining, exposing the justice system’s flaws. Given the rise in fentanyl-related overdose deaths from 47,000 in 2018 to over 81,000 in 2022, policymakers need to re-evaluate their approach to tackling drug trafficking and overdoses instead of relying on ineffective techniques.Source…