The Shadow
RICHMOND, VA — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is co-leading a 25-state coalition urging the U.S. Senate to permanently classify all current and future fentanyl analogues as Schedule I substances by passing the HALT Fentanyl Act without delay. The House of Representatives passed this legislation with an overwhelming bipartisan majority last week.
Fentanyl analogues, drugs that are chemically modified to imitate fentanyl, are a leading cause of overdose deaths across the nation. Ruthless Mexican drug cartels, such as the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels, import raw materials from China to manufacture these deadly synthetic opioids at a low cost, then smuggle them across the border in staggering quantities. In FY2024 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 21,889 pounds of cartel-smuggled fentanyl—enough to kill the entire U.S. population 14 times over.
Since 2018, the federal government has temporarily classified fentanyl analogues as Schedule I substances. However, these temporary classifications have not been made permanent, creating uncertainty for law enforcement and prosecutors. The latest extension of the temporary classification is set to expire on March 31, 2025. Without permanent scheduling, drug traffickers continue to exploit regulatory loopholes, modifying chemical compounds to skirt the law.
“The HALT Fentanyl Act is a necessary, common sense solution for a devastating crisis that has touched every community across the country, including right here in Virginia,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “Congress must act now to close dangerous loopholes and give law enforcement the tools they need to combat the trafficking of these lethal poisons. By permanently scheduling fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs, this bipartisan legislation will ensure traffickers are prosecuted swiftly, eliminate costly legal challenges, and allow federal resources to be directed toward prevention, education, and treatment.”
In June 2023, Attorney General Miyares co-led a coalition urging the Senate to pass a previous version of the HALT Fentanyl Act. As fentanyl overdoses remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45, Miyares and his fellow attorneys general are calling on Congress to act swiftly.
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares co-led this letter with Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. The following states joined Virginia and Iowa’s coalition: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Read the letter here.
