DEA Proposes to Place Unscheduled Fentanyl Products in Schedule I

The Drug Enforcement Administration proposed listing unscheduled fentanyl products as Schedule I controlled substances to help address the opioid crisis.

Under the temporary order, all unscheduled fentanyl-related substances would be placed in Schedule I for two years — with the option to extend the scheduling for another year.

The DEA said the action is needed to avert an “imminent hazard to the public safety,” noting that one of the major drivers of the addiction crisis has been users mixing fentanyl with other substances such as cocaine and heroin, as well as its use in counterfeit prescription drugs.