A common fentanyl ingredient may soon be a controlled substance

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is considering classifying phenethyl bromide as a List I chemical. This would make it much harder for drug traffickers to get a key ingredient for making fentanyl.

The DEA has been trying to slow down the illegal production of fentanyl, which is a major driver of the opioid crisis. By controlling a precursor chemical, they can disrupt the supply chain further upstream. This means that anyone who wants to buy or sell phenethyl bromide will need a special license and will be subject to strict reporting requirements.