S. 3076 — Nitazene Control Act

This section states congressional findings that 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids (i.e., nitazenes) are highly potent synthetic opioids with high abuse potential and no accepted medical use, previously temporarily or permanently scheduled by the DEA under schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812(c)); that they have emerged in the illicit drug supply, contributing to U.S. overdoses and fatalities; and that class-wide permanent scheduling is necessary to address analogs and protect public health, with research pathways available under the HALT Fentanyl Act (Public Law 119-26).

This section classifies as Schedule I controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act any material, compound, mixture, or preparation containing any quantity of a 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioid (i.e., nitazenes)—including etonitazene, clonitazene, metonitazene, isotonitazene, protonitazene, butonitazene, etodesnitazene, flunitazene, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene, N-desethyl isotonitazene, and N-piperidinyl etonitazene, as well as structurally related substances or those exhibiting mu-opioid receptor agonist activity—by adding them to Schedule I (21 U.S.C. 812(c)). (Schedule I substances have high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S., and lack accepted safety for use under medical supervision.) It deems permanently scheduled under Schedule I any such substances previously placed under the Act's temporary scheduling authority (21 U.S.C. 811(h)). It clarifies that the provision does not authorize new research using these substances without proper registration and scheduling compliance.