With effect from 1 June 2022, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) will be listing 13 new psychoactive substances (NPS)1 in the First Schedule, to the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) 1973 (see Annex A for the list of drugs).
Listing of 13 NPS in the First Schedule to the MDA
2. Following the listing of the 13 NPS as Class A controlled drugs, the trafficking, manufacture, import, export, possession or consumption of these substances will constitute an offence under the MDA. Persons found guilty of trafficking Class A controlled drugs will face a minimum of five years’ imprisonment and five strokes of the cane. They will also be liable for enhanced penalties if they re-offend or sell to young or vulnerable persons. CNB will also be empowered to subject abusers of these NPS to supervision, commit them to a drug rehabilitation centre for treatment and rehabilitation, or charge them in court.
3. Their listing in the First Schedule will allow CNB to take decisive action against the abuse and trafficking of such substances.
Global NPS Situation
4. There has been a rapid increase in the number, types and availability of NPS across the globe. Based on a report released in January 2022 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there were at least 1,124 NPS reported from 2009 to December 20212.
5. Many of these NPS have been reported in overseas journals to have no licit use. Their abuse has been linked to adverse physical and psychological reactions, including paranoia, seizures, hallucinations and even death. CNB regularly reviews its strategies to improve the detection and regulation of NPS, including the regular listing of NPS that have emerged in the market. A significant proportion of the NPS reported overseas are currently controlled under the MDA.
CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
31 May 2022
1 New psychoactive substances (NPS) are substances which produce the or similar effects as controlled drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, “ecstasy”, methamphetamine or heroin.
2 ‘January 2022 – UNDOC-SMART: 1,124 NPS reported to UNODC from 134 countries and territories’. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announcement. Accessible at : https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Announcement/Details/40df1bf0-4f70-4862-844e-20536e0d95fd
Annex A
Substances Listed in the First Schedule as Class A Controlled Drug (with effect from 1 June 2022)
1. N-(1-Amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-5-bromo-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (also known as ADB-5-Bromo-INACA) and its bromo positional isomers in the 6-membered ring of the indazole structure
2. 1-(1-(1-(4-Bromophenyl)ethyl)-piperidin-4-yl)-1,3-dihydro-2H-imidazol-2-one (also known as Brorphine) and its bromo positional isomers in the phenyl ring
3. 2-(1-(Cyclohexylmethyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide (also known as N’-(1-(Cyclohexylmethyl)-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide or BZO-CHMOXIZID)
4. N,N-Diethyl-2-(2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)ethan-1-amine (also known as Metonitazene) and its diethylamino structural isomers and their respective methoxy positional isomers in the phenyl ring and nitro positional isomers in the 6-membered ring of the benzimidazole structure
5. N-Ethyl-1-(3-fluorophenyl)propan-2-amine (also known as 3-Fluoroethamphetamine, 3-Fluoroethylamphetamine or 3-FEA) and its fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring
6. 2-(2-(1-(4-Fluorobenzyl)-1H-(6-hydroxyindol)-3-yl)acetamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanamide and its N-(1-amino-1-oxohexan-2-yl) isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring and hydroxy positional isomers in the 6-membered ring of the indole structure
7. 2-(2-(1-(4-Fluorobenzyl)-1H-indol-3-yl)acetamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanamide (also known as ADB-FUBIATA or FUB-ACADB or AD-18) and its N-(1-amino-1-oxohexan-2-yl) isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring
8. 2-(1-(5-Fluoropentyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide (also known as N’-(1-(5-Fluoropentyl)-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide or 5-Fluoro-BZO-POXIZID or 5F-BZO-POXIZID or MDA-19 5-fluoropentyl analogue or 5F-MDA-19) and its fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group
9. 2-(1-Hexyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide (also known as N’-(1-Hexyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide or BZO-HEXOXIZID or MDA-19)
10. 2-(1-(5-Hydroxyhexyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide (also known as N’-(1-(5-Hydroxyhexyl)-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide) and its hydroxy positional isomers in the hexyl group
11. 2-(1-(5-Hydroxypentyl)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide (also known as N’-(1-(5-Hydroxypentyl)-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide) and its hydroxy positional isomers in the pentyl group
12. 2-(1-Pentyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide (also known as N’-(1-Pentyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)benzohydrazide or BZO-POXIZID or MDA-19 pentyl analogue or 5C-MDA-19)
13. 1-Phenyl-2-phenyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)ethanone (also known as α-Pyrrolidino-2-phenylacetophenone or α-D2PV)
