UP Gazette

State Rep. Dave Prestin has supported new legislation aimed at increasing penalties for fentanyl traffickers in Michigan. This measure follows a significant rise in opioid-related deaths, which reached 2,287 in 2023, marking a 250% increase over the past decade. The legislation received broad bipartisan approval in the House.

Prestin, R-Cedar River, emphasized the need for this action. “Increasing the penalties for fentanyl traffickers will show criminals that they are not welcome in our communities — we’ve already lost enough,” he stated. He warned that traffickers would face the full might of the law if caught trafficking on local streets.

Fentanyl, due to its affordability and availability, has become popular among traffickers. While it has valid medical applications for pain relief, its misuse has been linked to numerous overdose deaths. Many opioid addicts use fentanyl, and it often appears in other illicit drugs, causing respiratory failure and death in some cases.

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan has witnessed a rise in fentanyl-related deaths. In Rapid River, five young men, all of whom graduated high school together in 2021, died from fentanyl overdoses in recent years. This tragic situation contributed to the formation of Overdose Awareness of Delta County, a group focused on educating the public about fentanyl dangers.

Prestin shared his concerns during a floor speech, stating, "No town should have to see four boys buried early because of this poison. These wounds will take generations to heal." He also pointed out the ongoing impact of these losses on the community.

House Bills 4255 and 4256, intended to curb fentanyl trafficking, propose harsher sentences for those involved in manufacturing, selling, or possessing the drug with intent to distribute. For adults selling fentanyl to minors, the bills suggest a 10-to-40-year prison sentence.

The proposed legislation now moves to the Senate for further deliberation.