LETTER: Zero tolerance for deadly dealers who mix meth with fentanyl | Opinion

Methamphetamine has already ravaged our island, but there is a tragic rise in fentanyl overdose deaths. House Bill 333-37 seeks to amend Guam's penal code to classify deaths caused by the distribution of these dangerous Schedule II drugs as aggravated murder, murder, or manslaughter.

If you illegally give a child a Schedule I drug and they die immediately as a result, the law currently considers it aggravated murder. If you kill an adult, it's murder. If you contribute to the death of an adult, it's manslaughter.

The Guam Criminal Law and Procedure Review Commission, created in 2022 by Public Law 36-119, is conducting the first comprehensive review of our criminal code since 1976. In doing so, the commission's Subcommittee on Crimes Against Persons identified a critical gap: While Schedule I drugs such as heroin and LSD are included in these laws, Schedule II drugs such as meth and fentanyl are not.

Bill 333-37 corrects this by subjecting substances like meth and fentanyl to the same legal scrutiny.

Meth had already devastated our community, and now Guam is adding fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is much more potent than heroin, to methamphetamine. This deadly practice has contributed to a rising number of overdose deaths.

Users often have no idea they are taking fentanyl, which can cause fatal respiratory arrest within minutes. The epidemic is worsening, and Guam's laws must be adjusted to address it.

House Bill 333-37 ensures that those who profit from the distribution of these substances face the harshest penalties available. This bill will not solve the drug crisis on its own, but it is an essential part of a broader effort.

By passing this bill, we are sending a clear message: Guam will not tolerate the spread of substances like fentanyl that take lives and destroy families. We can stop this epidemic before it truly spreads.

Now is the time to act. On the mainland, over a hundred thousand people die from fentanyl each year. We owe it to those we have lost and those we hope to save. Bill 333-37 represents justice and protection for our island and ensures that those who bring death to our community through drug trafficking face the most severe legal consequences.

The safety of our island and future generations depends on the decisions we make today.

Senator William “Bill” Parkinson is a member of the 37th Legislature of Guam.