Press Releases

Contact: Abby Mitch

Rep. John James voted to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act (H.R. 467), which would give law enforcement the tools they need to combat lethal drugs in our communities. The legislation would also discourage the production of new and more dangerous fentanyl-related substances. 

“Fentanyl is poisoning our country, tearing apart communities, and destroying our family members and friends. Last year, Sterling Heights police found 20,000 fentanyl pills in just one drug bust. This year, they found another 18,000 fentanyl pills in Oakland County,” James said. “From Rochester Hills to Roseville; from Shelby to St. Clair Shores, our brave police officers are often the last line of defense between this lethal drug and our loved ones. The HALT Fentanyl Act would make it easier for our men and women in blue to get drugs off our streets and keep our neighborhoods safe.” 

The HALT Fentanyl Act makes the class-wide scheduling order for fentanyl-related substances permanent and supports research efforts to understand the impact of fentanyl-related drugs. 

Under current law, fentanyl-related substances will no longer be Schedule I beginning January 1, 2025. As a result, these drugs will effectively be legal unless the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) schedules each specific chemical formula one by one. H.R. 467 would permanently place the class in Schedule I to remove incentive for the creation of new fentanyl related substances, thereby cutting through the bureaucracy and streamlining the process.

Illicit fentanyl poisonings are now the number one cause of death among adults 18-49—more than COVID-19, cancer, heart disease, and car accidents. Michigan has been hit hard by the fentanyl crisis; Macomb County has seen a 204% increase in deaths by fentanyl. In 2021, Michigan set a new record for drug overdose deaths with 3,040 lives lost.

The House approved H.R. 357, The HALT Fentanyl Act by a vote of 289 to 133.

###