U.S. President Trump signs new law to fight fentanyl

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U.S. President Donald Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act, a law  will toughen prison sentences by permanently reclassifying illegal, fentanyl-related drugs as Schedule 1 narcotics.

The new bill automatically places all fentanyl-related copycat drugs into the government's most highly restrictive category of banned substances, which also includes heroin.  "We'll be getting the drug dealers, pushers and peddlers off our streets," Trump said before he signed the bill into law.

Speaking at an event for the signing of the HALT Fentanyl Act, attended by family members of people who had died from fentanyl overdoes, Trump said he imposed a tariff on China "because of fentanyl."

"I think we're going to work it out so that China is going to end up going from that to giving the death penalty to the people that create this fentanyl and send it into our country," Trump said.  "I believe that's going to happen soon," Trump added.

Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid drug which doctors sometimes prescribe for severe pain.  The legislation does not affect fentanyl used for medical purposes.