Carr Urges U.S. Senate to Pass Legislation Combating Chinese Copycat Fentanyl

ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr has joined a coalition of 25 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Senate to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, legislation that will close the loophole for copycat fentanyl in federal law and save American lives. 

“The Biden administration’s open border policies allowed for the influx of deadly fentanyl that’s flooding our communities, and we’re using all available resources to combat this crisis and save lives,” said Carr. “We’re fighting this battle on multiple fronts by going after the criminal illegal aliens who are smuggling fentanyl across the border, dismantling the violent gang networks that are selling deadly and dangerous drugs on our streets, and securing critical resources to help those who are struggling with addiction. We’re proud to join our fellow attorneys general in supporting this crucial measure, and we urge the U.S. Senate to do the same.”

In 2023 alone, more than 107,000 people in the U.S. died of a drug overdose, and fentanyl was involved in nearly 70 percent of those deaths. The problem has only been made worse by Mexican drug cartels smuggling deadly drugs, like fentanyl, across the southern border. Between October 2021 and June 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized enough fentanyl to kill the entire American population five times over. 

Copycat fentanyl, or fentanyl analogues, are lab-created drugs that are made to work around U.S. law and are often more harmful than prescription fentanyl. Classifying fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs closes a loophole for drug dealers by providing law enforcement with the tools to prosecute anyone who sells or uses this deadly copycat fentanyl. Congress temporarily classified fentanyl and fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs, but that status is set to expire on March 31, 2025. The HALT Fentanyl Act will solve this problem.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the HALT Fentanyl Act with an overwhelming bipartisan majority. The States are now calling on the U.S. Senate to do the same. 

Joining Carr in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. 

Find a copy of the letter here . 

Carr Declares War on Fentanyl

Carr has declared war on fentanyl, and he has continued to go after those who are fueling this crisis in our communities. 

Carr’s Gang Prosecution Unit worked with law enforcement in Richmond County to seize 15 lbs. of fentanyl – enough to kill 3.5 million Georgians.

Earlier this month, he announced the launch of Operation “Hold the Line,” a multi-agency effort targeting transnational gangs, such as Tren de Aragua, that are present in Georgia and engaged in fentanyl trafficking, human trafficking, and other violent crimes.

By initiating legal action against those who have contributed to the opioid crisis, Carr has been able to secure more than one billion dollars for our state and local governments to expand access to critical treatment, prevention, and recovery services. The funds will be distributed over time, with the first round of grants recently awarded by the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust. 

Carr also leads a statewide Task Force to address the opioid epidemic.