Nitazene Control Act

The Nitazene Control Act would permanently schedule the benzimidazole-opioids known as nitazenes as Schedule I controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act. It creates a class-wide listing that covers nitazenes and substances with a chemical structure substantially similar to certain nitazene analogs, provided they act as mu-opioid receptor agonists. By doing so, it treats the entire class as having no accepted medical use and high abuse potential, curbing manufacture, distribution, and possession. The bill also converts any nitazene-related substances that had temporary Schedule I status into permanent Schedule I status upon enactment, and it authorizes incidental regulatory rules to clarify the scope of the class. Additionally, it provides a limited research exemption for researchers already engaged in unrelated nitazene research, allowing them to continue for up to 18 months with expedited registration processes, given certain safeguards.