Senate Passes Bill Classifying Fentanyl as Schedule I Drug, Barring Medical Use

The bill now goes to the president for his signature. The new classification would mean fentanyl could not be prescribed by a physician.

Tablets suspected to be fentanyl are placed on a graph to measure their size at the Drug Enforcement Administration Northeast Regional Laboratory in New York on Oct. 8, 2019. Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images

The Senate passed a bill on March 14 that would reclassify fentanyl as a Schedule I narcotic, pulling it from medical use and toughening penalties for those charged with criminal offenses related to the drug.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), passed 84–16 on Friday, sending it to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.

The HALT Fentanyl Act categorizes any fentanyl-related substances, which include any chemical or compound that is structurally or molecularly related to the highly addictive synthetic opioid, as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act.

Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, ecstasy, and LSD, are substances that are deemed to have no medical use and can be subject to a high abuse potential.

Notably, Schedule I drugs “may not be prescribed, dispensed, or administered” by physicians, according to the National Institutes of Health, which means fentanyl will be pulled from medical use in the United States if Trump signs the bill.

Fentanyl is currently a Schedule II narcotic, defined as “drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.” These drugs are also considered dangerous but can be prescribed by medical doctors.

Fentanyl is typically prescribed to treat patients with chronic severe pain or severe pain after surgery, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which says, “under the supervision of a licensed medical professional, fentanyl has a legitimate medical use.” Patients must be regularly monitored for potential misuse or abuse.

There are five scheduling categories under the Controlled Substances Act, with the lowest having the smallest potential for abuse, including certain cough medications.

Schedule I substances also come with steeper criminal penalties, with those convicted of such offenses sometimes getting up to 40 years in prison on a first offense, or more if deaths or serious injuries are involved.

The House also overwhelmingly passed its version of the bill in February.

While the legislation allows for fentanyl research to continue by relevant federal agencies and institutions receiving funding from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, and Veterans Affairs, there are restrictions.

Before beginning fentanyl-related studies, researchers must wait 30 days after notifying the Justice Department and disclosing research information, including the substance’s chemical name and how much will be used in the study.

Fentanyl has been in the spotlight for years due to the U.S. opioid crisis and numerous drug trafficking incidents at the southern border.

More than 21,000 pounds of the synthetic opioid was seized by Customs and Border Protection during fiscal year 2024, according to the White House.

Fentanyl was responsible for 68 percent of drug poisoning deaths in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse said the synthetic opioid has been the leading cause of U.S. drug overdoses since 2016.

When Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada and 20 percent tariffs on China earlier this month, he blamed the countries for failing to stop fentanyl trafficking into the United States.

Mexico and Canada have since taken steps to tighten their border control.

The DEA has said the majority of fentanyl enters from Mexico, smuggled in “high-volume loads.” The precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl often come from China.

Jackson Richman contributed to this report.