Seven new synthetic opioids are now illegal to make or sell

The US Drug Enforcement Administration has temporarily added seven new synthetic opioids to its list of Schedule I controlled substances. This means anyone who handles these drugs now faces the same strict legal penalties as for heroin or fentanyl.

Drug manufacturers and distributors must now account for these specific chemicals in their supply chains. This action aims to quickly shut down the market for these new drugs, which are often created to bypass existing laws. It's a constant game of whack-a-mole between drug chemists and regulators.