Misuse Of Drug Act (MDA)

Listing of 17 NPS in the First Schedule to the MDA

            With effect from 1 May 2020, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) will be listing 17 New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)^[1] in the First Schedule to the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) (see Annex A for the list of drugs).

2.             Following the listing of the 17 NPS as Class A controlled drugs, the trafficking, manufacture, import, export, possession or consumption of these substances will constitute an offence under the MDA. Persons found guilty of trafficking Class A controlled drugs will face a minimum of five years’ imprisonment and five strokes of the cane. They will also be liable for enhanced penalties if they re-offend or sell to young or vulnerable persons. CNB will also be empowered to subject NPS abusers to supervision, commit them to a drug rehabilitation centre for treatment and rehabilitation, or charge them in court.

3.             Their listing in the First Schedule will allow CNB to take decisive action against the abuse and trafficking of such substances.

Listing of three NPS in the Fifth Schedule to the MDA

4.             CNB will be listing three NPS in the Fifth Schedule to the MDA (see Annex B) with effect from 1 May 2020. This allows CNB to seize these NPS so that their circulation can be restricted while research and industry consultation are conducted.

[1] New psychoactive substances (NPS) refer to substances which produce the same (or similar) effects as controlled drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, “ecstasy”, methamphetamine or heroin.

Global NPS Situation

2.             There has been a rapid increase in the number, types and availability of NPS across the globe. Based on a report released in January 2020 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there were at least 950 NPS reported from 2008 to January 2020[1].

3.             Many of these NPS have been reported in overseas journals to have no licit medical use. Their abuse has been linked to adverse physical and psychological reactions, including paranoia, seizures, hallucinations and even death. CNB regularly reviews its strategies to improve the detection and regulation of NPS, including the regular listing of NPS that have emerged in the market. A significant proportion of the NPS reported overseas are currently controlled under the MDA.

CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU

30 April 2020

[1] United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), January 2020, Current NPS Threats (Volume II).

Reference:

The Fifth Schedule of the MDA was first enacted on 1 May 2013 to allow CNB to control and prevent the proliferation of NPS. NPS can be temporarily listed in the Fifth Schedule for up to 12 months, with a possibility of extension for another 12 months. The Fifth Schedule enables CNB to seize these NPS so that their circulation can be restricted while research and industry consultation are conducted. These processes are necessary before a substance is classified as a controlled drug. The trafficking, manufacture, import, export, possession or consumption of any substance, which is temporarily listed in the Fifth Schedule, will not constitute an offence under the MDA, until that substance is listed as a controlled drug in the First Schedule.

Annex A

Substances Listed in the First Schedule as Class A Controlled Drug (with effect from 1 May 2020)

1.         6‑Allyl-6‑nor‑lysergic acid diethylamide (also known as N‑Allyl‑nor‑LSD or AL‑LAD) and its acyclic secondary and tertiary amide structural isomers

2.         N‑(1‑Amino‑3,3‑dimethyl‑1‑oxobutan‑2‑yl)‑1‑butyl-1H‑indazole‑3‑carboxamide (also known as 2‑[(1‑Butyl‑1H‑indazol‑3‑yl)formamido]-3,3‑dimethylbutanamide or ADB‑BUTINACA) and its N‑(1‑amino‑1‑oxohexan‑2‑yl) isomers

3.         N‑(1‑Amino‑3,3‑dimethyl‑1‑oxobutan‑2‑yl)‑1‑(4-hydroxybutyl)‑1H‑indazole‑3‑carboxamide and its N‑(1‑amino‑1‑oxohexan‑2‑yl) isomers and their respective hydroxy positional isomers in the butyl group

4.         1‑Butanoyl‑N,N‑diethyllysergamide (also known as 1‑Butanoyl‑LSD or 1B‑LSD) and its acyclic secondary and tertiary amide structural isomers

5.         2-(1-Butyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid and its hexanoic acid isomers

6.         1‑(4‑Chloro‑2,5‑dimethoxyphenyl)propan‑2‑amine (also known as 4‑Chloro‑2,5‑dimethoxy‑α‑methylphenethylamine, 4‑Chloro‑2,5‑dimethoxyamphetamine, DOC, 3C‑C, 4‑Cl‑2,5‑DMA or 4‑Chloro‑2,5‑DMA) and its chloro and dimethoxy positional isomers in the phenyl ring

7.         2‑[1‑(4,5‑Dihydroxypentyl)‑1H‑indazole‑3-carboxamido]-3,3‑dimethylbutanoic acid and its hexanoic acid isomers and their respective dihydroxy positional isomers in the pentyl group

8.         6‑Ethyl‑6‑nor‑lysergic acid diethylamide (also known as ETH‑LAD) and its acyclic secondary and tertiary amide structural isomers

9.         2‑Fluorodeschloroketamine (also known as 2‑Fluoroketamine or 2‑FDCK) and its fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring

10.      5‑(5‑Fluoropentyl)‑2‑(2‑phenylpropan‑2‑yl)-pyrido[4,3‑b]indol-1-one (also known as 2‑Cumyl‑5‑(5‑fluoropentyl)‑gamma‑carbolin‑1‑one or 5‑Fluoro‑cumyl‑PEGACLONE) and its phenylpropyl isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

11.      Lysergic acid 2,4‑dimethylazetidide (also known as LSZ)

12.    2‑[1‑Pent‑4‑en‑1‑yl]‑1H‑indazole‑3‑carboxamido]-3,3‑dimethylbutanoic acid and its hexanoic acid isomers and their respective pentenyl positional isomers in the pentyl group

13.      1‑Pentyl‑N‑(2-phenylpropan‑2‑yl)‑1H‑indole‑3-carboxamide (also known as Cumyl‑PICA) and its phenylpropyl isomers

14.      5‑{3‑[(2‑Phenylpropan‑2‑yl)carbamoyl]‑1H‑indol‑1-yl}pentanoic acid and its phenylpropyl isomers

15.      2-(2‑Phenylpropan‑2‑yl)‑5‑pentyl‑pyrido[4,3‑b]indol-1-one (also known as 2‑Cumyl‑5‑pentylgamma‑carbolin‑1‑one or cumyl-PEGACLONE or SGT‑151) and its phenylpropyl isomers 

16.      1‑Propionyl‑N,N‑diethyllysergamide (also known as 1‑Propionyl‑LSD or 1P‑LSD) and its acyclic secondary and tertiary amide structural isomers

17.      6‑Propyl‑6‑nor‑lysergic acid diethylamide (also known as PRO‑LAD) and its acyclic secondary and tertiary amide structural isomers

Annex B

New Substances Listed in the Fifth Schedule (with effect from 1 May 2020)

1.         4-Bromo‑N‑[2‑(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]‑benzamide (also known as Bromadoline or U‑47931E) and its bromo positional isomers in the phenyl ring and diamino positional isomers in the cyclohexyl ring

2.         4‑Bromo‑N-[2‑(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl]-N-methyl-benzamide (also known as N‑Methyl U‑47931E or N‑Methyl Bromadoline) and its bromo positional isomers in the phenyl ring and diamino positional isomers in the cyclohexyl ring

3.         3,4‑Dibromo‑N‑methyl‑N‑(1-methyl‑1‑azaspiro[4.5]decan‑6‑yl)benzamide (also known as U‑77891) and its dibromo positional isomers in the phenyl ring and their respective azaspiro[4.5]decanyl isomers