As Maryland grapples with a relentless surge in opioid and fentanyl-related deaths, State Delegate Chris Tomlinson has announced, he’s ready to propose, once again, legislation that would impose harsher penalties on drug dealers peddling fatal fentanyl-laced substances. Reports from FOX Baltimore indicate that from January to August of 2025, fentanyl claimed the lives of 608 people statewide—with Baltimore City witnessing a grim tally of 289 deaths.
The public concern is not limited to urban areas; rural regions like Carroll County are also fighting this crisis. In a span of six days in September, Westminster saw seven opioid overdoses, evoking alarm and a renewed call for legal reforms. “To have that many occur over the course of such a small span, seven overdoses with one of them being a young guy in his forties passing away, I mean that is unheard of for what we experience usually here in Carroll County,” Tomlinson expressed in an interview with WMAR-2 News.
Tomlinson’s proposed legislation aims to target the heart of the crisis—the dealers. It would extend penalties, enabling the possibility of an additional felony charge with a maximum 20-year sentence…