A “designer Xanax” drug has been formally added to the federal schedule of controlled substances, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced Wednesday.
The DEA placed bromazolam, a synthetic drug used to make counterfeit Xanax tablets, into Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, recognizing that it has no accepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse.
Its new designation allows law enforcement to more extensively crack down on bromazolam, as it is now subject to administrative, civil and criminal sanctions.
It is one of the most identified benzodiazepines in illicit drug seizures tested by DEA laboratory systems, according to the agency. Common benzodiazepines are the prescription drugs Valium, Xanax and Klonopin, used to treat conditions such as anxiety disorders, insomnia and seizures.
Benzodiazepines are legally available only through prescription, but many users maintain their drug supply by getting prescriptions from several doctors, forging prescriptions or buying them illicitly.
“The emergency scheduling of bromazolam is a decisive step to get ahead of a rapidly evolving threat. We will not wait for more lives to be put at risk,” Cheri Oz, assistant administrator of the DEA’s Diversion Control Division, said in a statement. “This action closes dangerous gaps, disrupts access, and gives law enforcement and public health partners the tools they need to respond. Protecting our communities from emerging drugs is a top priority, and we will continue to act swiftly to stay ahead of those who seek to exploit them.”
This follows the DEA notifying its intent to publish a temporary order to schedule the drug in December.
Back in August, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman led a 21-state coalition calling on the DEA to take emergency action to schedule the drug.
“Unlike regulated medications, illicitly manufactured bromazolam lacks any quality controls, making it particularly lethal for unsuspecting users,” the states’ letter to DEA Administrator Terry Cole reads.
In response to this new development, Mr. Coleman thanked the “zealous collaboration” with the Trump administration for successfully banning bromazolam nationwide.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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