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ASAM Calls for HALT Fentanyl Act Amendments to Encourage Demand-Side Action
On February 3, ASAM wrote to leadership of the Senate Judiciary Committee and House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health urging for the inclusion of key amendments to the Halt Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act. These amendments would mitigate unintended negative consequences of the bill and encourage further Congressional action to address the demand side of the country’s national addiction and overdose crisis.
ASAM raises several concerns around provisions that would impose mandatory minimum sentences for quantity-based offenses involving fentanyl-related substances and define the class by chemical structure, regardless of potency or actual impact on opioid receptors and related risks. The letter notes that a focus on addiction treatment provides a better return on investment; research has found that every dollar spent on addiction treatment saves $4 to $7 in criminal justice and related costs.
Read the full letter from ASAM President Dr. Brian Hurley .