President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed the HALT Fentanyl Act, a piece of legislation that aims to curb the impact of the drug.
The bill broadens the definition of “fentanyl-related substances” to include a wider range of chemically similar substances and places all such substances into Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act.
Being in Schedule I means harsher penalties for drug crimes involving such substances. The move aims to address the creation of so-called “chemically altered fentanyl” as a means to skirt criminal penalties.
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid which can induce overdose in relatively small portions. Other controlled substances can be laced with potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl, possibly without the knowledge of the user.
While overdose deaths have seen a significant decrease in the past two years, levels are only just returning to pre-pandemic levels. The metric saw a spike in the early months of the pandemic, remaining elevated through mid-2023.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates 76,298 overdose deaths were reported in the 12-month period ending February 2025.
That’s down around 25% from the prior 12-month period (ending February 2024) and around 32% from a peak level of 111,451 for the 12-month period ending August 2023.
The passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act drew praise from members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation.
“We’ve lost countless lives in West Virginia to fentanyl poisoning. I am very proud to have co-sponsored this legislation and thrilled to see it be signed by President Trump. This new law is a key tool in the fight to reduce overdoses and save lives,” said Republican Rep. Riley Moore. “I will continue to champion policies that push back on this deadly poison which has ravaged our communities.
Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito attended the bill signing ceremony.
“West Virginia has been disproportionately impacted by the drug crisis, with fentanyl being one of the deadliest drugs that has made the crisis exponentially worse,” she said. “The HALT Fentanyl Act will help equip law enforcement with the resources needed to crack down on traffickers and keep these deadly substances off the streets once and for all.
“I was proud to stand alongside President Trump — and join some of our fellow West Virginians — to watch him sign this important legislation into law, which marks another critical step forward in our ongoing efforts to combat the crisis and protect West Virginians from the scourge of illicit fentanyl.”
West Virginia residents Michael and Cherie Cole were among the many individuals in attendance who have lost loved ones to overdoses.
Their daughter, Lauren Cole, was the inspiration behind Lauren’s Law, a bill passed by the state Legislature during its regular session earlier this year. Like the HALT Fentanyl Act, Lauren’s Law aimed to address overdose deaths.
The state law directly changed the penalties in West Virginia Code for numerous drug-related offenses, including possession of a controlled substance; manufacturing, delivering or possessing with the intent to manufacture or deliver; transportation of controlled substances into the state; delivery resulting in death; and conspiracy to commit any of the aforementioned crimes.