Proposition 132 would increase mandatory penalties for fentanyl possession. This mandatory sentencing applies even to first-time offenses and to a person who had no knowledge of the presence of fentanyl. 

 

Mandatory sentencing removes any judicial discretion. A person sharing a single pill would face the same sentence as a high-level trafficker.

An estimated 900 additional people would go to prison each year, costing the state an estimated $433 million over the next five years, while penalties for the highest-level drug traffickers are not increased.

Colorado State Representative Javier Mabrey opposes the initiative, saying it “is an extension of failed policies of the past” and that “it’s really important to be clear that increasing criminal penalties for Coloradans who are struggling with substance use disorders will not deter crime.”