Seven new synthetic opioids are now illegal to make or sell in the US

The US Drug Enforcement Administration plans to temporarily classify seven synthetic opioids as Schedule I controlled substances. This means anyone who handles these drugs will face the same strict criminal penalties as for heroin or fentanyl.

The DEA can temporarily ban new drugs quickly, often before they become widespread on the street. This action targets a specific class of synthetic opioids that are chemically similar to fentanyl but have slightly different structures. It aims to cut off the supply of these drugs before they can be widely distributed and cause more overdose deaths.