A proposal in the Arizona House that would impose mandatory five-year minimum sentences on people who sell any amount of the opioids, fentanyl or heroin appears to be in trouble.
The bill by Republican Representative Steve Pierce of Prescott has drawn criticism because it could send low-level offenders selling a small amount to support their own habits to prison for lengthy terms.
But it brought out emotional testimony from family members of young people who died of overdoses.
The editors of The Daily Courier newspaper in Prescott said they are pushing for approval of the bill because of rising death toll caused by drug abuse.
