Rep. Cisneros Statement on HALT Fentanyl Act
Washington, DC – Congressman Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. released the following statement after voting against the HALT Fentanyl Act:
“It’s important that we treat the fentanyl epidemic in the United States with the seriousness that it deserves. Equally important, however, is ensuring that we take a holistic approach that includes access to treatment rather than performative actions that repeat the mistakes of the War on Drugs. The HALT Fentanyl Act takes an extreme approach that ends research into therapeutic potential of all fentanyl-related substances, extends mandatory minimum requirements, and does not include any additional funding for law enforcement. We have lost too many lives to this public health crisis to continue down the path of the same failed policies. We must come together on a bipartisan basis to enact smarter drug policy.”
The HALT Fentanyl Act permanently classifies all “fentanyl-related substances” (FRS) in Schedule I. Fentanyl and FRS have been categorized as Schedule 1 drugs since 2018. Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
It is important to note that similar class-wide scheduling structures for cannabinoids and anabolic steroids require a more thorough analysis of chemical structure and pharmacological effect. According to numerous medical organizations, despite indications that some FRS are harmless or hold therapeutic potential, the HALT Fentanyl Act does not account for rescheduling or removing those FRS that are shown to be pharmacologically inactive or to have potential for medical use.
Rep. Cisneros is a cosponsor of H.R. 830, the SAFE Act, which would permanently classify all fentanyl-related substances that are not already scheduled as Schedule I substances under the Controlled Substances Act. But importantly, it would allow for the removal from Schedule I and rescheduling of any FRS that is found to be less dangerous or addictive than other analogues after a thorough evaluation and create a streamlined process to facilitate research of controlled substances in Schedule I to align it more closely with the process for Schedule II research.
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