DEA Intends to Control 7 Benzimidazole-Opioid Substances

The DEA has published a Notice of Intent for the temporary placement of the following 7 Benzimidazole-opioid substances, 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, in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The following drugs have been placed in the federal register for possible inclusion into schedule 1 of the CSA:

The Drugs Being Placed into the CSA

Butonitazene
Etodesnitazene
Flunitazene
Metodesnitazene
Metonitazene
N-pyrrolidino etonitazene
Protonitazene

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Benzimidazole Related Deaths

These substances have been “identified in at least 44 toxicology and post-mortem cases in the United States between November 2020 and July 2021. Specifically, butonitazene has been identified in one case, etodesnitazene in five cases, flunitazene in four cases, metodesnitazene in one case, metonitazene in twenty cases, N -pyrrolidino etonitazene in eight cases, and protonitazene in five cases.”

The DEA expects to publish the temporary scheduling order in the Federal Register on or after January 6, 2022. Additional information is available here.