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DEA Proposed Rule: Placement of Nine Specific Fentanyl-Related Substances in Schedule I (PDF)

  • Alyssa Leiva

Proposed Rule: Placement of Nine Specific Fentanyl-Related Substances in Schedule I

SUMMARY:

The Drug Enforcement Administration proposes placing nine substances, as identified in this proposed rule, in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. These nine substances fall within the definition of fentanyl-related substances set forth in the February 6, 2018, temporary scheduling order. Through the Temporary Reauthorization and Study of Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act, which became law on February 6, 2020, Congress extended the temporary control of fentanyl-related substances until May 6, 2021. This temporary order was subsequently extended multiple times, most recently on December 29, 2022, through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which extended the order until December 31, 2024. If finalized, this action would make permanent the existing regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis, or possess), or propose to handle these nine specific controlled substances.

In this proposed rule, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposes to permanently schedule the following nine controlled substances in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), including their isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers whenever the existence of such isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible within the specific chemical designation:

  1. meta-fluorofentanyl (N-(3-fluorophenyl)-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)propionamide),
  2. meta-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl (N-(3-fluorophenyl)-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)isobutyramide),
  3. para-methoxyfuranyl fentanyl (N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)furan-2-carboxamide),
  4.  3-furanyl fentanyl (N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylfuran-3-carboxamide),
  5. 2′,5′-dimethoxyfentanyl (N-(1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenethyl)piperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylpropionamide),
  6. isovaleryl fentanyl (3-methyl-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylbutanamide),
  7.  ortho-fluorofuranyl fentanyl (N-(2-fluorophenyl)-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)furan-2-carboxamide),
  8. alpha′-methyl butyryl fentanyl (2-methyl-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylbutanamide),
  9. andpara-methylcyclopropyl fentanyl (N-(4-methylphenyl)-N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-l)cyclopropanecarboxamide).