June 1, 2023

On May 25, 2023, the U.S. House passed the Halt all Lethal Tracking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act by a bipartisan vote of 289 – 133. Under the bill, fentanyl-related substances would be automatically, and permanently placed in Schedule 1, under the Controlled Substances Act. The bill would also make changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including:

• permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances,
• waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and
• allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration.

The bill would also treat fentanyl-related substances by the same quantity thresholds and subject to the same penalties as offenses involving fentanyl analogues (e.g., offenses involving one hundred grams or more trigger a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term).

As the HALT Fentanyl Act is specific to fentanyl-related substances, it does not impact medical fentanyl, which is a Schedule II drug. 

The bill now heads to the Senate for further action. Members with questions about this legislation can contact healthpolicy@aapmr.org.