# Plain Language Summary: CEASE Overdose Act of 2023

This bill tackles the fentanyl crisis by making it harder for drug manufacturers to create new versions of fentanyl that skirt existing laws. Right now, when fentanyl is banned, chemists can slightly tweak its chemical structure to create a new drug that's technically legal—even though it's just as dangerous. This bill closes that loophole by automatically classifying any substance that's chemically similar to fentanyl as an illegal drug, regardless of how it's been modified. So if someone creates a fentanyl knockoff by changing just one part of the molecule, it would immediately fall under the same strict legal penalties as fentanyl itself.

The law defines "fentanyl-related substances" very broadly to catch these chemical variations. It covers changes like swapping out different chemical components, adding new groups of atoms, or replacing parts of the molecule with similar structures. Essentially, if a drug is structurally related to fentanyl in any of these ways, it's automatically treated as a Schedule I controlled substance—the most serious category, meaning it has no accepted medical use and carries the harshest criminal penalties for possession and distribution.

This matters because fentanyl and its variants are driving the overdose epidemic. Fentanyl is extremely potent—about 50 times stronger than heroin—and even tiny amounts can be lethal. By preventing drug makers from simply creating slightly different versions to stay ahead of the law, this bill aims to keep dangerous fentanyl-like drugs off the street. The main people affected would be drug manufacturers and dealers who create these synthetic drugs, while the intended benefit is protecting public health by reducing the supply of these deadly substances in communities.

CEASE Overdose Act of 2023

Rep. Johnson, Mike [R-LA-4]

Continuous and Enduring Action to Stop Every Overdose Act of 2023 or the CEASE Overdose Act of 2023 This bill permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. The temporary scheduling order issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration to place fentanyl-related substances into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act expires on December 31, 2024.