House bill to classify all fentanyl as a Schedule 1 drug passes 289-133

The House on Thursday approved a bill that would classify all fentanyl as a Schedule 1 substance, the most dangerous classification of drugs. The GOP-led legislation, backed by the White House, passed the House 289-133.

The classification of all fentanyl substances as a Schedule 1 drug — currently, only some fentanyl-related substances are Schedule 1 — will allow for tougher penalties and spur more research related to a drug that has claimed thousands of American lives. Schedule 1 drugs do not have any medical use, and are highly lethal. Rep. Morgan Griffith, a Republican from Virginia, and Rep. Bob Latta, an Ohio Republican, introduced the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act.

The White House threw its support behind the bill, noting that its provisions were critical components of the Biden-Harris administration's 2021 recommendations to Congress.