Fentanyl Crackdown Bill Hits Trump’s Desk, Sneaks in Marijuana Research Boost

OG Article

• Kyle Jauger, Marijuana Moment.

• June 16, 2025

  

In a bold move to tackle the opioid crisis, Congress has sent President Donald Trump a bipartisan bill that clamps down on fentanyl analogues—but it’s got a surprising twist: it could make studying marijuana and other Schedule I drugs easier. Passed by the House on June 12, 2025, with a 321-104 vote, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of (HALT) Fentanyl Act is stirring debate for its tough-on-crime approach and unexpected research perks. Here’s the wild story behind this legislation, packed with drama and promise, in a quick four-minute read.

The HALT Fentanyl Act, which cleared the Senate in March, aims to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, locking in harsher penalties for possession and trafficking. “A loophole that the cartels have tried to use to drive their illicit fentanyl into our country is by changing one part of the fentanyl chemical structure to create fentanyl analogs,” said Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) during House debates on June 11. He argued the bill closes this gap, adding, “What we did in this bill…is we put into this bill the capability to do extensive research.” Griffith, a co-sponsor, highlighted how it could prevent deaths—over 100,000 Americans died from overdoses in 2024, mostly fentanyl-related, per Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA).

But the bill’s punitive edge has critics fuming. Drug policy reform advocates, like Kassandra Frederique of the Drug Policy Alliance, slammed it as a throwback to the War on Drugs. “This counterproductive bill will block health solutions to the overdose crisis, exacerbate racial disparities in the criminal legal system, and lead to an even more potent, unknown drug supply,” Frederique said. The bill’s mandatory minimum sentences for Schedule I drugs, which include marijuana and heroin alongside fentanyl analogues, could fuel mass incarceration, opponents warn.

So, what’s the marijuana angle? Tucked into the bill are provisions to streamline research into Schedule I substances. Rep. Griffith explained on the House floor that it would “remove barriers to conducting research into the risks and benefits of marijuana and other Schedule I drugs.” Specifically, it mandates the Justice Department to process research applications within 30 days for DEA-registered researchers and 45 days for others. It also scraps duplicative registrations for researchers at the same institution, though cannabis is exempt from limited manufacturing provisions. These changes echo a 2022 law signed by President Biden to ease marijuana research, which gave the attorney general 60 days to approve or request more info on applications.

The bill dodged a bullet when Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) withdrew an amendment that would’ve derailed marijuana rescheduling efforts by tying the DEA to stricter 1992 review criteria. “I’m glad it was pulled,” said Morgan Fox of NORML, noting the amendment’s threat to cannabis reform. Still, advocates remain wary, as the bill doesn’t fund public health measures to curb fentanyl addiction, and its research perks don’t fully offset its punitive thrust.

With 74% of Americans living in states with legal cannabis (Pew Research, 2024) and the industry worth $32 billion (MJBizDaily, 2024), this bill’s research provisions could unlock new insights into marijuana’s medical potential. As Trump decides its fate, the HALT Act ties into the long history of drug smuggling—from 1970s marijuana plane crashes like Carroll County’s to today’s fentanyl pipelines—showing how policy still grapples with balancing enforcement and science.

By Jason Beck