Georgia House approves tougher fentanyl trafficking penalties after hours of debate

The Georgia House on Friday approved a measure that raises trafficking thresholds and mandatory minimums for fentanyl-related offenses, following more than an hour of debate on the role of mandatory sentences in drug policy.

Supporters said stiffer penalties are needed to curb an opioid threat that has killed thousands; opponents urged caution about mandatory minimums and urged alternative, evidence-based responses.

Sponsor Representative James Burchett, who spoke as the bill’s House presenter, said the strength of fentanyl makes the penalties necessary and repeatedly cited the substance’s lethality. “This amount right here would kill everybody in this chamber,” Burchett said while holding a prop he said illustrated how small a lethal quantity can be. Burchett described the bill as strengthening trafficking penalties tied to weight and purity and said the measure includes a limited mechanism for courts to depart from mandatory minimums under certain conditions.

The bill drew extended opposition focused on its…