DEA Emergency Scheduling of Synthetic Cannabinoids

March 10, 2011 2:49 pm

On March 1, 2011, DEA implemented the emergency scheduling of five synthetic chemicals (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol) used in products that are marketed as “legal” alternatives to marijuana, packaged alone, or laced on plant material. As reported in a DEA news release “except as authorized by law, this action makes possessing and selling these chemicals or the products that contain them illegal in the United States. This emergency action was necessary to prevent an imminent threat to public health and safety. The temporary scheduling action will remain in effect for at least one year while the DEA and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) further study whether these chemicals should be permanently controlled.”

At least 16 states have taken action to control synthetic cannabinoids, including Iowa and Washington. Late last year, DEA called for information relating to the emergency scheduling of the products due to an increasing number of reports from poison control centers and law enforcement regarding these products. The final order, effective March 1, 2011, designates these chemicals as Schedule I substances, and they will be controlled for at least one year, with the possibility of a six-month extension.