Lorain Times

Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5) announced that President Donald Trump has signed into law the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act. Co-led by Congressman Latta and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-9), this new law permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. A Schedule I controlled substance is one that has a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical value, and is subject to regulatory controls and penalties.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recorded over 324,000 fentanyl-related deaths in the United States over the past five years.

“Today marks a crucial day in the fight against the opioid epidemic as my bipartisan HALT Fentanyl legislation is now the law of the land to help protect American communities by cracking down on deadly fentanyl-related substances and saving lives,” said Latta. “With this law, we’re permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug so that the penalties can be put in place to dissuade more hardworking Americans from falling victim to the poison and make our neighborhoods safer. I thank President Trump for signing this vital legislation into law to add another tool in our fight to keep dangerous drugs off our streets and out of the hands of our communities across Ohio and the country.”

Congressman Latta has consistently championed legislation to combat the opioid epidemic. Last Congress, he led the HALT Fentanyl Act through the Energy and Commerce Committee and the House, demonstrating his leadership in fighting against deadly fentanyl-related substances.

In 2018, Congressman Latta, along with the Energy and Commerce Committee, passed the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act. This comprehensive legislative package aimed at tackling the opioid crisis included Congressman Latta’s Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids (INFO) Act, which sought to improve data collection regarding opioid treatment programs. This year, he played a crucial role in reauthorizing the SUPPORT Act with similar goals.

He has also written multiple op-eds supporting this legislation in publications like Washington Examiner and Washington Times to raise national awareness.