Unveiling a long-awaited plan to combat the national scourge of opioid drug addiction, U.S. President Donald Trump called Monday for stiffer penalties for drug traffickers, including the death penalty. The Federal Drug Kingpin Act allows federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in cases when someone is intentionally killed during a drug deal or in furtherance of a drug enterprise. "The death penalty is uncertain as a constitutionally permissible punishment without that connection to an intentional killing," Berman said. The Death Penalty Information Center lists 14 federal death row prisoners awaiting execution for drug-related crimes. "I don't think people out there who sell drugs are worried about, am I going to get the death penalty?"

Source: CBC News March 19, 2018 22:03 UTC