The US Congress may permanently place some synthetic drugs on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). They include cannabinoids and stimulants such as methamphetamine, MDMA and “bath salts.” Complicating considerations are designer drugs, or synthetics with their structures altered to have the same effect as yet not be chemically similar to controlled substances—a requirement of scheduling under the Analogue Enforcement Act. Congress authorized the Attorney General to place drugs considered a threat to public safety on Schedule I temporarily, for up to three years. The CSA requires a drug to “be evaluated on its history and current pattern of abuse; scope, duration, and significance of abuse; and risk to public health factors in order to be eligible for temporary or permanent scheduling by the Attorney General.” However, because little research has been done on many synthetic drugs, many of their effects are unknown. And while research is permitted on Schedule I drugs, it requires approval by the researchers’ institutions, an external review board, the US FDA and the US Drug Enforcement Agency. Congress may consider whether placing a drug on Schedule I will hamper this research.

Source: Congressional Research Service