HARRISBURG – The Senate passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) today to target drug dealers who sell fentanyl resulting in a fatal overdose.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic similar to morphine but is 50-100 times more potent. It can be cut, colored, scored and pressed to be sold as a counterfeit for other drugs. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose. In some scenarios, people purchase what they think are Oxycodone, OxyContin, Percocet or Xanax pills that are actually laced with fentanyl.
“One such example occurred in my district. Tyler Shanafelter, just 18 years old, overdosed and tragically lost his life when he purchased what he thought was Percocet. Instead, those pills were laced with fentanyl,” Mastriano said.
Senate Bill 92, known as Tyler’s Law, would impose tougher penalties on drug dealers who sell fentanyl resulting in a fatal overdose. An individual who sells or engages in a monetary transaction to distribute fentanyl resulting in a death would face a mandatory minimum 25-year sentence upon conviction. The mandatory minimum penalty would not apply to drug users who share drugs with friends or family members or to those who seek medical help for individuals who overdose.
Fentanyl is easier to produce and distribute than heroin, enhancing its appeal to dealers and traffickers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 100,000 fentanyl and opioid related deaths in 2021, a 15% increase from 2020.
In Pennsylvania, from 2011 to 2021, the overdose death rate climbed from 6.2 per 100,000 people to 32.8 per 100,000 people. Pennsylvania’s death rate in 2023 was up to 44 per 100,000 people.
“It is my duty as a legislator to do everything I can to stem this ever-increasing scourge on our loved ones. My bill would send a strong message that those fueling the opioid crisis will face severe consequences,” Mastriano said. “I look forward to it becoming law, serving as a legacy for Tyler, his family and other families who have lost loved ones – and it helping to prevent other families from experiencing that harrowing loss.”
The bill, which received Senate support as Senate Bill 235 in the previous legislative session, now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Don Beishl, 717-787-6701