Rubio, Scott Look to Strengthen Sentences for Fentanyl Dealers

Within the past month, The Floridian has done multiple stories on the introduction of fentanyl to American society and the effects that it has had.

From the amount of lives it has claimed to how it has affected how we look at the border crisis, one fact doesn’t change: Fentanyl is one of the leading causes of death in the United States today.

However, the Florida Senators, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and others have introduced the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act, which makes it possible for a dealer of the fatal drug to be sentenced for the equivalent of a felony murder.

Sen. Rubio mentioned in Fox News op-ed that “the government must heighten legal penalties for selling fentanyl. At this point, no dealer or government official can plead ignorance of this drug’s lethality.

That’s why I’m introducing a bill that would make the sale of fentanyl eligible to be charged as felony murder when it inevitably kills the user. Turning that bill into law would just be common sense.” He would also state in his press release regarding the introduction of the bill that “Fentanyl is killing Americans at a record high.

This deadly drug is widespread throughout our country and has left no community untouched. This bill would make drug dealers pay the price for selling deadly fentanyl.”

Not only did Rick Scott agree that the dealers of the drug need to receive harsher sentences, but that President Joe Biden (D) shares some of the blame as well.

“People who knowingly distribute lethal fentanyl deserve the strictest sentence possible. For too long, people have suffered addiction and death because of this evil drug that is pouring across Joe Biden’s open southern border,” said Sen. Scott. “Fentanyl has skyrocketed to the number one killer of young people, and to put an end to this crisis, strong actions must be taken. I am proud to join Senator Rubio in standing up for victims of this crisis, and urge the immediate passage of this critically important bill.”

Recently, law enforcement in various communities have found rainbow-colored drugs laced with fentanyl meant to look like candy and possibly target kids. Last year, over 100,000 people in America died of drug overdose with many of those fatalities coming from fentanyl.