Harrisburg, PA – As part of the Shapiro Administration’s continuing efforts to protect public health and safety, support people struggling with substance use disorder, and crack down on those who distribute illicit drugs, Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen today announced the temporary scheduling of nitazenes as a Class I controlled substance.
Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids that can be more powerful than fentanyl. The presence of nitazenes in the state’s illicit drug supply has been increasing since 2019 and has been a contributing factor in 45 deaths in Pennsylvania since 2023.
“Substance use has taken the lives of far too many Pennsylvanians, and the Shapiro Administration is doing everything in its power to lower the number of people experiencing drug overdoses,” said Secretary Bogen. “Scheduling Nitazenes, which have no acceptable medical use, as Class I substances provides law enforcement with the authority to crack down on its possession and distribution in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, our focus remains on developing strategies that help connect people with substance use disorder with treatment and other resources.”
While the Department of Health is taking steps to permanently schedule nitazenes as a Class I drug, it is temporarily scheduling the drug in the interim. State law allows the Department to temporarily schedule a given drug for a two-year period.
The notice to temporarily add nitazenes to the list of Schedule I drugs under Pennsylvania’s Controlled Substance, Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on Saturday, July 19, 2025, when the action will immediately take effect.
Placing a substance in Schedule I makes it illegal for individuals to possess, distribute, and manufacture the substance under Pennsylvania law.
Additionally, this step is in alignment with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, who also determined that it was necessary to schedule the nitazene class of compounds as Schedule I substances in the Controlled Substances Act to avoid an imminent and continued hazard to public safety because these substances:
- Have high potential for abuse;
- Have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States;
- Lack accepted safety for use under medical supervision; and
- Have been responsible for numerous deaths.
Because nitazene is a synthetic opioid, an opioid-reversal medication like naloxone should be administered in instances where signs of an overdose are present. More information on naloxone, including the Naloxone Standing Order, can be found on the Department of Health’s website.
The Shapiro Administration, through DOH and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), remains committed to a public health approach that directly engages individuals with substance use disorder to prevent overdoses, lessen infectious disease transmission, improve the mental and physical health of those who are served, and offer accessible treatment in the communities they live in.
Since day one, the Shapiro Administration has prioritized investing in sustained recovery and expanding access to equitable prevention and treatment services by:
- Awarding nearly $20 million to expand drop-in center services for individuals with SUD across Pennsylvania;
- Awarding more than $6 million for 19 organizations to establish or expand SUD services, community outreach and education to underrepresented communities of color;
- Awarding more than $8 million to expand or enhance recovery support services for individuals in recovery;
- Awarding $4 million for the establishment of regional recovery hubs to enhance resources for individuals in recovery and promote recovery within communities across Pennsylvania;
- Awarding more than $2 million for community-based organizations and public health programs to assist individuals in accessing DDAP-licensed recovery houses; and
- Awarding more than $1 million to expand or enhance community-based harm reduction services for individuals who use opioids and other drugs, particularly in underserved areas.
Anyone seeking substance use treatment or recovery resources for themselves, or a loved one, can call the toll-free PA Get Help Now helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357), or go online to the Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards Platform (ATLAS) at treatmentatlas.org.
ATLAS can help Pennsylvanians find and compare substance use treatment services and facilities to find the one that will work best for the person in need.
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