North Carolina SB 620: The STRONG Act of 2025.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 620

Short Title: The STRONG Act of 2025. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Bradley, Smith, and Everitt (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S620-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT ENACTING THE "STOPPING TRAFFICKING AND REINFORCING OPIOID 2
AND NARCOTICS GUARDRAILS (S.T.R.O.N.G.) ACT" TO PROVIDE FOR A 3
COMPREHENSIVE STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO THE FENTANYL CRISIS BY 4
INCREASING PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN DRUG TRAFFICKERS, CERTAIN DEATH 5
BY DISTRIBUTION OFFENSES, AND FOR TRAFFICKING NEAR SCHOOLS AND 6
CERTAIN OTHER PUBLIC PLACES; ENHANCING LAW ENFORCEMENT 7
TRAINING AND RESOURCES; UPGRADING AND EXPANDING THE CONTROLLED 8
SUBSTANCES REPORTING SYSTEM; EXPANDING OPIOID USE DISORDER 9
PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS; APPROPRIATING 10
FUNDS FOR THESE PURPOSES; AND CREATING A TAX CREDIT FOR BUSINESSES 11
THAT HIRE EMPLOYEES WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE SUBSTANCE USE 12
DISORDER TRAINING. 13
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 14
15
PART I. TITLE 16
SECTION 1.1. This act shall be known as "The STRONG Act of 2025." 17
18
PART II. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE 19
SECTION 2.1. The General Assembly makes the following findings of fact: 20
(1) North Carolina is experiencing a severe opioid crisis, with fentanyl and 21
synthetic opioids contributing to record-high overdose deaths. 22
(2) The State lacks comprehensive measures to address substance use disorder 23
prevention, rehabilitation, and treatment access, particularly in rural and 24
underserved communities. 25
(3) The Controlled Substances Reporting System (CSRS) has been effective in 26
tracking prescription drug abuse, but it must be expanded to monitor 27
additional substances. 28
(4) Medical cannabis has been shown to provide relief for chronic pain, Post 29
Traumatic Stress Disorder, and seizure disorders. North Carolina should 30
implement a tightly regulated Medical Cannabis Pilot Program. 31
(5) Law enforcement lacks sufficient resources and training to handle synthetic 32
opioids safely and to combat cartel-driven drug trafficking. 33
(6) A public education campaign is needed to raise awareness about fentanyl 34
risks, treatment options, and drug prevention. 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 620-First Edition
PART III. INCREASED PENALTIES FOR TRAFFICKING IN OPIUM, OPIATES, 1
OPIOIDS, OR HEROIN 2
SECTION 3.1.(a) G.S. 90-95(h)(4) reads as rewritten: 3
"(4) Any person who sells, manufactures, delivers, transports, or possesses four 4
grams or more of opium, opiate, or opioid, or any salt, compound, derivative, 5
or preparation of opium, opiate, or opioid (except apomorphine, nalbuphine, 6
analoxone and naltrexone and their respective salts), including heroin, or any 7
mixture containing such substance, shall be guilty of a felony which felony 8
shall be known as "trafficking in opium, opiate, opioid, or heroin" and if the 9
quantity of such controlled substance or mixture involved: 10
a. Is fourtwo grams or more, but less than 14 grams, such person shall be 11
punished as a Class FE felon and shall be sentenced to a minimum 12
term of 7090 months and a maximum term of 93120 months in the 13
State's prison and shall be fined as follows: 14
1. A fine of fivetwo hundred fifty thousand dollars 15
($500,000)($250,000) if the controlled substance is heroin, 16
fentanyl, or carfentanil, or any salt, compound, derivative, or 17
preparation thereof, or any mixture containing any of these 18
substances. 19
2. A fine of not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for any 20
controlled substance described in this subdivision and not 21
otherwise subject to sub-sub-subdivision 1. of this 22
sub-subdivision. 23
b. Is 14 grams or more, but less than 28 grams, such person shall be 24
punished as a Class ED felon and shall be sentenced to a minimum 25
term of 90180 months and a maximum term of 120225 months in the 26
State's prison and shall be fined as follows: 27
1. A fine of sevenfive hundred fifty thousand dollars 28
($750,000)($500,000) if the controlled substance is heroin, 29
fentanyl, or carfentanil, or any salt, compound, derivative, or 30
preparation thereof, or any mixture containing any of these 31
substances. 32
2. A fine of not less than one hundred thousand dollars 33
($100,000) for any controlled substance described in this 34
subdivision and not otherwise subject to sub-sub-subdivision 35
1. of this sub-subdivision. 36
c. Is 28 grams or more, such person shall be punished as a Class CB1 37
felon and shall be sentenced to a minimum term of 225 months and a 38
maximum term of 282 monthslife imprisonment without parole in the 39
State's prison and shall be fined as follows: 40
1. A fine of onetwo million dollars ($1,000,000)($2,000,000) if 41
the controlled substance is heroin, fentanyl, or carfentanil, or 42
any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof, or any 43
mixture containing any of these substance