Overview

• President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act on July 16 at the White House with bipartisan lawmakers and families of overdose victims in attendance.
• The law makes permanent the Schedule I classification for all fentanyl-related substances to prevent chemists from evading federal controls by tweaking molecular structures.
• It mandates a minimum 10-year prison sentence for anyone who possesses, imports, distributes or manufactures illicit fentanyl analogs and strengthens federal enforcement authority.
• Researchers will benefit from streamlined DEA registration rules, including single-site credentials, waived inspections in certain cases and limited small-quantity manufacturing without extra licensing.
• The legislation follows overwhelming congressional votes and complements broader efforts such as tariffs on precursor-supplying nations and enhanced border deployments to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain.