- On April 26, Florida AG Ashley Moody issued an emergency rule adding eight synthetic opioids to Florida’s Schedule I of controlled substances. The drugs, which are categorized as nitazenes, are available on the dark web and throughout the illegal drug market. They are not approved for medical use and , since 2020 alone, have been linked to at least 15 deaths in Florida. Under AG Moody’s order, it is now a felony to possess, manufacture, distribute or deliver any of them in the state.
- The nitazines are: N-pyrrolidino etonitazene; etodesnitazene; isotonitazene; protonitazene; metonitazene; butonitazene; metodesnitazene; and flunitazene. They range in potency from 10 times stronger than fentanyl to 100 times weaker than fentanyl. The nitazines are being combined with common street drugs, and can be packaged as liquids, powders or counterfeit prescription drugs.
- Florida’s Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Prevention Act allows law enforcement agencies to take action against manufacturers and vendors of nitazines in light of the AG’s order until the completion of the legislative session. During that time, the AG will work with Florida lawmakers to permanently codify these compounds as Schedule I controlled substances in the state.