I grew up in Section 8 housing in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Where I’m from, addiction wasn’t something you saw in the headlines — it was in your building, your classroom, and your family. Back in the 80s and 90s, it was crack. Today, it’s fentanyl and it’s far more deadly.

Last month, President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act, giving law enforcement stronger tools to crack down on fentanyl trafficking. The law institutes a mandatory 10-year minimum prison sentence for anyone caught with 110 grams or more of fentanyl or its analogues — a lethal amount capable of killing tens of thousands.

This law is more than a political victory — it’s a lifeline for communities all across America. It gives law enforcement the tools to rip apart cartel networks profiting from death. As someone who has seen firsthand what happens when cartels pump poison into neighborhoods and stood at the southern border watching agents struggle to stop the flow, I know this is a vital step.

Fentanyl kills fast, cheap, and often without warning. The CDC says it’s now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. Over the past year, overdose deaths dropped from nearly 111,000 in 2022 to about 81,740 in 2024 — but that still means tens of thousands of families shattered every year.

This is more than a border issue, a law enforcement issue, or a health crisis — it’s all three wrapped together and one we must confront on every front.

I’m not writing this as a politician. I’m writing this as someone who’s lived in communities gutted by addiction. Who’s seen the look on a mother’s face after burying her child. Who knows what it feels like to wonder if the people you love will ever escape the cycle.

The HALT Fentanyl Act is a powerful step, and I commend President Trump’s leadership. But acts of Congress must lead to action in communities. We must pair hard penalties with compassion, treatment, and prevention.

Unless we match this law with additional resources and national resolve, we risk another generation lost to a crisis that calls for more than headlines.

Darius Mayfield is a small-business owner and Republican candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District. He grew up in Section 8 housing and has witnessed the impact of addiction firsthand.

– Darius Mayfield