Summary
- Alan Wilson participated in the White House signing of
the HALT Fentanyl Act. - His office acknowledged the event via social media and
press releases. - The HALT Fentanyl Act is a significant legislative
measure targeting fentanyl trafficking and abuse. - Wilson’s involvement reflects his law enforcement
priorities.
According to Congress, HALT stands for
“Halt All Lethal Trafficking” of fentanyl.
According to Attorney General Alan Wilson’s
office, he was a member of a coalition of several states that worked to approve
the bill.
The measure
“closes gaps that traffickers
have exploited for years by making small chemical alterations to avoid
prosecution,”
according to the attorney general’s news release, by permanently
scheduling fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under federal law.
Attorney General Alan Wilson said:
“This is a
major step forward to protect our communities from the poison flowing across
our border. President Trump understands the devastating tollfentanyl is taking
on families across America, including here in South Carolina, and I’m proud to
have played a role in getting it passed and am honored to have been invited to
see it signed into law.”
Wilson was in the White House on Wednesday when
the act was signed into law, standing next to President Trump and angel
parents.
How does Wilson’s signing of the HALT fentanyl
act relate to his role as attorney general?
Wilson has been a vocal advocate for permanently
classifying fentanyl analogs—synthetic opioids chemically similar to fentanyl
but previously not clearly covered under Schedule I—as part of the Controlled
Substances Act. This classification empowers law enforcement and prosecutors in
South Carolina and nationwide to more effectively charge and convict
traffickers of these deadly substances.
The HALT Fentanyl Act addresses a critical “cat
and mouse” loophole exploited by drug cartels that altered chemical structures
to evade existing laws. Wilson’s role is directly connected to closing this gap
which hinders criminal justice.
Protecting Community Safety and Public Health:
As attorney general, Wilson has emphasized combatting the opioid epidemic to
protect South Carolina’s citizens, noting fentanyl and its analogs have become
the leading cause of drug-related deaths in the state.
