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Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB)
News

Misuse of Drugs Act

30 April 2018

            With effect from 1 May 2018, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) will be listing all 21 New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)[*] currently in the Fifth Schedule of the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) in the First Schedule of the same Act. This means that these 21 substances will be reclassified as Class A controlled drugs (see Annex A for the list of drugs). CNB will also be listing four other NPS in the First Schedule as a Class A controlled drug (see Annex B).

2.       Following the listing of the 25 NPS as Class A controlled drugs, the trafficking, manufacture, import, export, possession or consumption of these substances will constitute an offence under the MDA. Any person 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.        CNB will be listing five NPS in the Fifth Schedule of the MDA (see Annex C). This allows CNB to seize these NPS so that their circulation can be restricted while research and industry consultation are conducted.

Global NPS Situation

4.         There has been a rapid increase in the number, type and availability of NPS across the globe. Based on a report released in March 2018 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there were at least 779 NPS identified by end 2017.[**]

5.         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 strategies to improve detection and regulation of NPS, including 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 2018

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

The Fifth Schedule Drugs Relisted to the First Schedule as Class A Controlled Drugs

(With effect from 1 May 2018)

  1. N-(1-Amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (also known as ADB-FUBINACA) and its fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  2. N-(1-Amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-pentyl-1H-indole-3-carboxamide (also known as ADBICA)

  3. N-(1-Amino-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl)-1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (also known as PX-3 or APP-CHMINACA)

  4. 1-Benzyl-4-methylpiperazine (also known as Methylbenzylpiperazine or MBZP)

  5. 2-Bis(4-fluorophenyl)methylsulfinyl-N-methylacetamide (also known as N-Methyl-4,4-difluoromodafinil or modafiendz) and its fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl rings

  6. 2-(4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethanamine (also known as 2C-C) and its chloro and dimethoxy positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  7. Methyl 2-[1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (also known as MDMB-FUBINACA) and its fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  8. 4-Fluoromethylphenidate and its fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  9. Methyl 2-[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (also known as 5-Fluoro-MDMB-PINACA or 5-Fluoro-ADB) and its hexanoate isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

  10. Methyl 2-[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (also known as 5-Fluoro-MDMB-PINACA or 5-Fluoro-ADB) and its hexanoate isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

  11. Methyl 2-[1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3-methylbutanoate (also known as MMB-FUBINACA) and its 1-pentanoate and 2-methylbutanoate isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  12. N-(1-Adamantyl)-1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (also known as FUB-APINACA or FUB-AKB48) and its fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  13. Methyl 2-[1-(4-fluorobenzyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamido]-3-methylbutanoate (also known as MMB-FUBICA or AMB-FUBICA) and its 1-pentanoate and 2-methylbutanoate isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  14. N-(1-Methyl-1-phenylethyl)-1-(4-cyanobutyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (also known as Cumyl-4CN-BINACA or 4-Cyano cumyl-butinaca or SGT-78) and its phenylpropyl isomers and their respective cyano positional isomers in the butyl group

  15. 3-Methoxy-2-(methylamino)-1-(4-methylphenyl)propan-1-one (also known as Mexedrone) and its methyl positional isomers in the phenyl ring

  16. 2-N-[2-(4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylethyl)aminomethyl]phenol (also known as 25B-NBOH) and its bromo, dimethoxy and hydroxy positional isomers in the respective phenyl rings

  17. 2-N-[2-(4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenylethyl)aminomethyl]phenol (also known as 25C-NBOH) and its chloro, dimethoxy and hydroxy positional isomers in the respective phenyl rings

  18. 2-N-[2-(2,5-Dimethoxyphenylethyl)aminomethyl]phenol (also known as 25H-NBOH) and its dimethoxy and hydroxy positional isomers in the respective phenyl rings

  19. 2-N-[2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylethyl)aminomethyl]phenol (also known as 25I-NBOH) and its dimethoxy, hydroxy and iodo positional isomers in the respective phenyl rings

  20. Methyl 2-[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamido]-3, 3-dimethylbutanoate (also known as 5-Fluoro-MDMB-PICA) and its hexanoate isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

  21. Ethyl 2-[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate (also known as 5-Fluoro-EDMB-PINACA) and its hexanoate isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

Annex B

Substances Listed to the First Schedule as Class A Controlled Drug (with effect from 1 May 2018)

  1. 6,7,8,14-Tetradehydro-4,5-α-epoxy-6-methoxy-17-methylmorphinan-3-ol (also known as 3-O-demethylthebaine or Oripavine)

  2. 2-[1-(5-Fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid and its hexanoic acid isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

  3. 2-[1-(5-Fluoropentyl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid and its hexanoic acid isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

  4. Methyl 2-[1-(5-hydroxypentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate and its hexanoate isomers and their respective hydroxy positional isomers in the pentyl group

Annex C

New Substances Listed in the Fifth Schedule (with effect from 1 May 2018)

The following compounds, including any salt or stereoisomeric form of such compounds, and any preparation or product containing such compounds:

  1. Naphthalen-1-yl 1-pentyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxylate (also known as SDB-005)

  2. Naphthalen-1-yl 1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxylate (also known as 5-Fluoro-SDB-005) and its fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group

  3. N-(Adamant-1-yl)-1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (also known as Adamantyl CHMINACA or SGT-37)

  4. 3,4-Dichloromethylphenidate and its dichloro positional isomers in the phenyl ring (also known as 3,4-DCMP)

  5. 1-(5-Fluoropentyl)-N-(2-phenylpropan-2-yl)-1H-indole-3-carboxamide (also known as 5-Fluoro-cumyl-PICA) and its phenylpropyl isomers and their respective fluoro positional isomers in the pentyl group”

[*] 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.

[**] UNODC Global Smart Update (Vol 19, March 2018). Understanding the synthetic drug market: the NPS factor.

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