Gov. John Kasich signs bill increasing drug penalties involving fentanyl

The bill calls for increased penalties for drug trafficking, drug possession and aggravated funding of drug trafficking, among other things, when a fentanyl-related compound is involved. The law could add as many as eight years to sentences of drug offenders convicted of serious crimes involving drugs containing fentanyl.

Increased penalties wouldn't apply if the defendant didn't know a compound contained fentanyl.

When a fentanyl-related drug conviction is connected to a homicide conviction, the law would require that prison sentences for each conviction run consecutively.

Gov. Kasich signed Senate Bill 1 on Wednesday and the law will go into effect after 90 days.