Kansas legislative leaders vote in favor of bill that permanently fights fentanyl

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Congresswoman Sharice Davids has voted in favor of a bill that would permanently classify fentanyl as a Schedule I narcotic.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS) announced that she voted in favor of bipartisan legislation that would restrict access to fentanyl and provide more resources to fight its use in Kansas.

Rep. Davids said the HALT Fentanyl Act would place all fentanyl-related substances in a Schedule I class which labels the drug as high potential for abuse with no currently accepted medical value.

“Fentanyl is devastating communities in Kansas and across the nation, and we must do more to protect folks at home from this deadly drug,” said Davids. “After hearing from local law enforcement officials and health care workers on the challenges they face, categorizing fentanyl as a Schedule I substance will give them more resources to combat this public health emergency and save lives. I’m glad the House came together in a bipartisan fashion to keep Kansans safe.”

Congresswoman Davids said Fentanyl is up to 100 times stronger than morphine and is increasingly found in fake prescription pills. The Drug Enforcement Agency temporarily classified the drug as Schedule I in 2018 and Congress has extended that ruling several times since.

Davids noted that Thursday’s bill makes the classification permanent to strengthen law enforcement officials’ ability to combat the production and distribution of deadly narcotics.

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