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2h ago

Kentucky Makes 'Designer Xanax' Schedule I While 21 States Press DEA

Attorneys general from 21 states are urging emergency federal scheduling to close a gap that leaves bromazolam unscheduled nationwide.

FILE - Gov. Andy Beshear addresses the media at the London Corbin Airport in London, Ky., May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
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Overview

  • Gov. Andy Beshear issued an emergency regulation that immediately designates bromazolam as a Schedule I controlled substance in Kentucky.
  • The action enables Kentucky law enforcement to arrest for possessing or selling the drug, which officials say is often passed off as prescription benzodiazepines.
  • Attorney General Russell Coleman is leading a 21-state coalition that asked DEA Administrator Terry Cole for emergency federal scheduling.
  • Bromazolam was detected in 48 overdose deaths in Kentucky in 2024, and officials warn its potency is unpredictable, especially when mixed with opioids.
  • The drug remains unscheduled at the federal level, though several states including Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia have already classified it as Schedule I.