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Bill would make fentanyl possession a felony in NC

A bill that could be on the Senate floor by the end of the week would make unauthorized possession of the deadly narcotic fentanyl a felony.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — A bill that could be on the Senate floor by the end of the week would make unauthorized possession of the deadly narcotic fentanyl a felony.

Simple possession is now a misdemeanor in North Carolina, which bill sponsors and law enforcement officials say isn't a strong enough deterrent.

"Misdemeanor charges are too light a punishment for possession of this deadly drug," Ernie Lee, district attorney for Sampson, Duplin, Onslow and Jones counties, told members of the Senate Judiciary committee on Tuesday.

Lee said he's prosecuted many cases in which people have died from fentanyl overdoses.

"This is a pandemic in this state. This is a pandemic in this country," he said of widespread abuse of opioids like fentanyl.

Bill sponsor Sen. Tom McInnis, R-Richmond, said making unauthorized fentanyl possession a felony would put it on par with cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

"Fentanyl has no purpose other than in a medical center," McInnis said. "It is one of the most powerful painkillers in the world. But it's not only a painkiller, it's a killer."

Senate Bill 321 also adds "designer" drugs that have been chemically altered to North Carolina's list of controlled substances, making possession or distribution of them illegal.

The bill passed the Senate Judiciary committee without opposition and has one more stop before going to the full Senate.

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