U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), held a ceremony in Baton Rouge to recognize angel families and mark the signing of the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act by President Trump. The legislation permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, providing law enforcement with new authority to address fentanyl trafficking.
The event included local law enforcement, Louisiana families impacted by fentanyl, and area officials. During the ceremony, Dr. Cassidy stated, “If it looks like fentanyl, addicts like fentanyl, and kills like fentanyl—then the drug dealer pushing it should go to jail like it’s fentanyl. That’s exactly what this bill does.”
President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act in July after its passage by the U.S. Senate in March. In February, Dr. Cassidy addressed the Senate floor regarding opposition to his bill.
Fentanyl remains a major factor in overdose deaths among young adults aged 18 to 45 in the United States. Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl account for most overdose fatalities nationwide. Over recent years, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has seized nearly 50,000 pounds of fentanyl at borders—an amount that could yield more than two billion lethal doses.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in 2023; of these deaths, 74,702 involved fentanyl or similar substances. The rise is linked primarily to synthetic opioids manufactured outside the United States using materials sourced from China and produced largely in Mexico.
In addition, over 50 million counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl were confiscated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 2022—more than double those seized during 2021.
