Republican congressman Glenn Grothman has introduced a bill that targets the growing fentanyl problem. The Fentanyl Penalties Parity Act would reduce the amount of the drug an individual can be in possession of before they are charged with a federal crime. According to a press release from Grothman, under current law, an offense must involve 400 or more grams of a substance containing fentanyl to trigger a mandatory minimum sentence. By comparison, the mandatory minimum for heroin involves at least one kilogram. Grothman says fentanyl is more dangerous the heroin and a major reason why there has been an increase in overdose deaths across the country and in Fond du Lac County. In Fond du Lac County there have been at least eight suspected overdose related deaths in 2021, including a pregnant woman.
