Overview
- The DEA formally placed bromazolam into Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, citing no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
- Known as “Designer Xanax,” the synthetic benzodiazepine is sold as counterfeit pills and can be especially lethal when used with opioids or other depressants.
- The new status subjects the drug to administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions, expanding tools for law enforcement to disrupt its supply.
- DEA officials said the emergency action aims to get ahead of a rapidly evolving threat, noting bromazolam is among the most frequently identified benzodiazepines in agency seizure testing.
- The move follows a 21-state push led by Kentucky’s attorney general, with Kentucky reporting 48 bromazolam-involved overdose deaths in 2024.