The United States Sentencing Commission voted on Dec. 12, 2025, to publish proposed amendments to the United States Sentencing Guidelines aimed at drug-trafficking offenses and has opened a public comment period that runs through Feb. 10, 2026, the commission’s staff said.

Amy Dezember, a senior research associate in the commission’s Office of Research and Data, presented staff analysis of a three-part proposal that would amend section 2D1.1 of the guidelines. "The Commission is seeking public comment on the proposed amendments," Dezember said.

Part A would change how the guidelines treat methamphetamine by addressing the purity distinction between methamphetamine "actual" (including crystalline "ice") and methamphetamine as part of a mixture. Staff presented two approaches: Option 1 would set a single quantity threshold for all methamphetamine offenses with four bracketed alternatives (matching current meth-mixture thresholds, fentanyl thresholds, cocaine-base thresholds, or current meth-actual thresholds). Option 2 would retain distinct levels but make them contingent on specified reducing or heightening conduct factors, such as safety-valve eligibility, mitigating role, use of a pill press, or use of the dark web.

Dezember provided data on the potential effects. "In fiscal year 2024, cases sentenced for methamphetamine made up almost one-half of all federal drug-trafficking cases," she said. Staff reported average sentences of 83 months for methamphetamine mixture, 101 months for methamphetamine actual, and 107 months for ice. Under Option 1, setting thresholds to methamphetamine mixture would affect about 5,000 individuals by lowering their base offense level; setting thresholds to methamphetamine actual would affect about 2,500 individuals by raising base offense levels. Middle thresholds (matching fentanyl or cocaine base) would produce mixed shifts depending on table overlaps.

Option 2 would apply reducing or heightening factors to determine whether a meth case uses the mixture or actual quantity thresholds. Staff said about 60% of methamphetamine cases had one or more reducing factors and 40% had one or more heightening factors; when both apply, the heightening factors would control and set the base level at meth-actual thresholds. Staff gave scenario estimates showing net changes ranging from roughly 1,700 to several thousand individuals across different factor-count requirements.

Part B would add fentanyl-related substances to the drug-quantity table at 2D1.1(c) in response to the HALT Fentanyl Act and would treat these substances the same as fentanyl analogs for quantity and base offense levels. Commission staff said fentanyl-analog cases remain a small share of drug-trafficking cases but have increased in recent years, rising from 123 cases in 2021 to 348 in 2024; courts do not always specify the analog involved, making classification of some cases uncertain.

Part C would add four specific-offense-characteristic enhancements to section 2D1.1 for fentanyl and fentanyl-analog trafficking: (1) distribution to a person under age 18 or 21 (with alternatives for age difference and mens rea), (2) use of the dark web to facilitate or conceal trafficking, (3) distribution of mixtures containing xylazine (or related adulterants such as medetomidine), and (4) use or possession of a tableting or encapsulating machine (pill press). Staff noted a prior special data-collection project limited analysis of the first enhancement to distribution to persons under 21.

Staff presented case counts and sentencing outcomes associated with those enhancements for fiscal year 2023: 37 cases involving distribution to persons under 21 (average recipient ages 14–21), 60 cases involving dark-web or cryptocurrency-facilitated fentanyl trafficking, 94 cases involving xylazine or medetomidine mixed with fentanyl, and 84 cases involving a pill press. The presentation showed variations in applied enhancements and departures: for example, many pill-press cases received sentences below the guideline range and a substantial share received variances or departures.

The commission’s staff presentation and the published amendment text will both inform public comments. "For further information on drug trafficking offenses, please visit the United States Sentencing Commission's website at www.ussc.gov," Dezember said. The Commission will review public comments before deciding whether to promulgate any or all parts of the proposal. Comments may be submitted to the Commission at the address shown in the published notice; the public comment period concludes on Feb. 10, 2026.