The bill would permanently reschedule fentanyl as a Schedule I drug—and impede therapeutic research.
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OnThursday,theHouseofRepresentativespassedtheHALT(HaltAllLethalTrafficking)FentanylAct.ThebillaimstomakepermanentaDrugEnforcementAdministration(DEA)temporaryemergencyrulefrom2018,whichhasbeenextendedtwicebyCongress.ThisruleclassifiesderivativesofthesyntheticopioidfentanylnotyetapprovedbytheFoodandDrugAdministration—knownas“fentanyl-relatedsubstances”—asScheduleIcontrolledsubstances.ThisextendedruleissettoexpireinMarch.
Thisisnothingnew.Lawmakersarenotfundamentallyalteringexistingfederalfentanylpolicy;theyaresimplycontinuingaframeworkthathasfailedoverthepastsevenyearstostopsellersofillicitfentanylfrommeetingmarketdemand.CelebratingthepassageoftheHALTFentanylActasanewefforttocombatfentanyltraffickingandoverdosedeathsismerelyanexampleofperformanceart.
ByclassifyingadrugasScheduleI,theDEAdeterminesittohave“nocurrentlyacceptedmedicaluseandahighpotentialforabuse.”TheDEA
