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ATLANTA — In the heart of Georgia’s state legislature, lawmakers are taking decisive action against the escalating fentanyl overdose crisis. Their approach seeks to intensify the crackdown on drug dealers, while simultaneously refraining from imposing harsher sentences on individuals grappling with addiction.
This legislative revision follows apprehensions that the measures enacted in 2025 might have excessively punished those with substance use disorders, rather than honing in on those responsible for the drug’s distribution.
State senators emphasize that the reworked bill is designed to distinctly differentiate between users and traffickers.
“Our focus is on tackling the core issue,” stated Derek Mallow, a Democratic representative from Savannah. “We can target drug dealers all day, but unless we address the reasons people turn to drugs, the cycle will persist.”
The proposed legislation aims to heighten the penalties for fentanyl traffickers, especially those involved in large-scale distribution, while also promoting treatment over incarceration for individuals struggling with addiction.
Experts say the crisis is affecting more communities than ever before.
“Substance use is no longer limited to specific populations,” said Tilisia May-Gamble, associate dean at Georgia Southern University. “We’re seeing it across age groups, from adolescence into adulthood, and in both urban and rural areas.”
Advocates also emphasize the importance of education and access to Naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. They say many people are still unaware they can legally administer the drug in emergency situations without facing legal consequences.
Lawmakers backing the bill argue that targeting suppliers, especially those mixing fentanyl into other drugs, is key to reducing overdose deaths.
“They are the ones bringing poison into our communities,” Mallow said. “Those are the individuals who should face the harshest penalties, not the people struggling with addiction.”
The push comes as fentanyl remains a leading driver of overdose deaths across Georgia.