Archive: News

Tom Reed offeredg a proposal which would toughen penalties for drug dealers that supply users with illicit substances that cause an overdose death.

"We care about the families of every overdose victim in our community and the addicts that are struggling. We've held several roundtable discussions and heard directly from the parents who have lost children to opioids and heroin. It's only right that we hold those responsible for harming our loved ones accountable," said Reed.

The bill, known as the Help Ensure Lives are Protected (HELP) Act, would allow federal prosecutor expanded access to more severe penalties, including life in prison or the death penalty, when prosecuting certain criminal drug cases where prosecutors can connect an overdose death to the drug dealer that sold heroin laced with fentanyl.

The move comes in the wake of several roundtable discussions held by Reed throughout the region as well as the recent spike in overdoses directly related to fentanyl laced heroin. The number of deaths due to synthetic opioids, mainly Fentanyl, rose 80% between 2013 and 2014.

Fentanyl is extremely addictive substance, 100 times more powerful than morphine, which is often included in heroin without the user's knowledge, to maximize the dealer's profits. The substance is so potent that law enforcement officers are forced to wear level 'A' hazmat suits following raids and seizures to avoid coming in contact with it. These hazmat suits are the same kind worn by medical professionals combating Ebola.

Reed supported the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act which was signed into law in July. The law provides for new programs that offer prevention and treatment options for addicts by offering grants to states, and groups of states, to implement and expand access to these services. The government funding proposal, which is expected to pass the House later this week, will designate $37 million to these efforts.

Reed says his proposal will "bring balance to the approach" by providing law enforcement with additional options to aid prosecution.

"This is about justice for the victims and their families and giving our law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to stop the flow of these lethal substances into our communities," said Reed.

The proposal was introduced late last week.

v12i37