ATLANTA — Amid a growing crisis fueled by the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl, the Georgia State Senate has approved a bill aimed at stiffening penalties for traffickers. The legislation, led by State Senator Russ Goodman, imposes harsher prison sentences and hefty fines in an effort to curb the rising number of fentanyl-related deaths in the state.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine, has become increasingly prevalent in the illegal drug trade. Between 2019 and 2022, fentanyl-related deaths in Georgia surged by 308%, according to the Department of Public Health.

“I tell people that if other drugs are a BB gun, then fentanyl is a nuclear bomb,” said Goodman, emphasizing the extreme potency and danger of the substance. His bill raises the penalties for trafficking fentanyl, with prison sentences ranging from 10 to 35 years and fines of up to $750,000.

The measure passed with strong support but faced opposition from three Democratic senators who expressed concerns that the bill criminalizes addiction rather than focusing on treatment and prevention efforts.

Gus Walters, a Georgia resident who lost his son Austin to a fentanyl overdose, voiced his support for the bill. “If they have fentanyl in their possession, somebody is going to die,” Walters stated.

The legislation now moves to the Georgia House of Representatives for further consideration. Meanwhile, fentanyl’s increasing spread across international borders has drawn national attention.

President Donald Trump has pointed to the crisis as a reason for proposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada, arguing that stronger trade policies could help curb the influx of the deadly drug into the United States.