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Fair and Just Prosecution Condemns House Passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act
February 7, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) — Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) strongly condemns the House’s passage of the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl (HALT) Act, a misguided bill that doubles down on the failed “War on Drugs” rather than advancing evidence-based solutions to the overdose crisis. The bill would permanently classify all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs, expands mandatory minimum sentences, and lacks an offramp for substances that are inert or have potential medical value. This bill doubles down on failed, punitive drug policies rather than advancing evidence-based solutions that address the overdose crisis. The bill passed in a 312 – 108 vote and now moves on to the U.S. Senate.
Fair and Just Prosecution Acting Co-Executive Director Amy Fettig issued the following statement in response to the House passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act:
“Our nation destroyed millions of lives, spent trillions of dollars, and wasted decades of time pursuing harsh criminal penalties in a failed ‘War on Drugs,’ and the results are devastating: an exploding prison population, deep racial disparities in our criminal legal system, and an illicit drug supply that is more dangerous than ever. For decades, we’ve seen the same failed playbook—harsher penalties, more incarceration, and zero impact on the overdose crisis or public safety.
“This bill isn’t about saving lives—it’s about political posturing at the expense of strengthening communities. Congress should focus on what actually works: treatment, harm reduction, and policies that stop overdoses, not jailing people. The Senate must reject this harmful legislation and focus on real solutions that save lives and create healthier communities, rather than just pretending they are solving the problem by criminalizing substance use – again. Congress should now be focused on expanding access to treatment, harm reduction services, and overdose prevention rather than returning to the same failed strategies of the past that have done nothing to stop overdose deaths or make our communities safer. Our people deserve better.”