The Criminal Legal Aid (General) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Added fifteen synthetic opioids to the list of Class A controlled drugs and reclassified one cannabinoid receptor agonist from Class B to Class A.
This Order amends Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 by adding fifteen synthetic opioids to the list of Class A controlled drugs.
It subjects these substances—primarily nitazenes and their derivatives—to the highest level of statutory control under UK law, affecting manufacturers, distributors, and individuals in possession of these chemicals.
The Order also reclassifies Cumyl-Pepegaitienate from a Class B to a Class A substance and removes specific naming of Diphenoxylate from Class B to avoid duplication with its Class A status.
Arguments For
The Explanatory Memorandum states that the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) recommended these classifications due to the high potency of synthetic opioids and the associated risks of severe toxicity and fatality.
Proponents argue that bringing these substances under the 1971 Act enables law enforcement to apply stricter penalties for the production, supply, and possession of these specific compounds.
The order cites the need to update the list of controlled substances to keep pace with the emergence of new psychoactive substances in the illicit drug market.
Arguments Against
Legal scholars and health advocates have previously noted that rapid reclassification may lead to the emergence of newer, even less-understood chemical analogues to bypass specific legal definitions.
Affected parties in the scientific and research communities have expressed concerns that Class A designation increases the administrative burden and costs for obtaining licenses required for legitimate laboratory research.
Some harm reduction organizations argue that criminalization alone may not address the underlying demand or the risks of accidental overdose without accompanying public health interventions.
- This Order may be cited as the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2024 and comes into force on the twenty-eighth day after the day on which it is made.
This section establishes the official name of the legal instrument and sets the date it becomes active. The changes take effect exactly 28 days after the Order was formally signed into law.
- In Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (which specifies the drugs which are subject to control under that Act as Class A drugs)— (a) in paragraph 1(a)— (i) after “Desomorphine”, insert— “2-(2-(4-Deoxy-4-fluorobenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)-N,N-diethylethan-1-amine (Flunitazene);”; (ii) after “Diethylthiambutene”, insert— “2-(2-(4-Ethoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)-N,N-diethylethan-1-amine (Etunitazene);”; (iii) after “Dimenoxadole”, insert— “N,N-Diethyl-2-(2-(4-isopropoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethan-1-amine (Isotonitazene);”; (iv) after “N,N-Diethyl-2-(2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethan-1-amine (Metonitazene)”, insert— “N,N-Diethyl-2-(5-nitro-2-(4-propoxybenzyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethan-1-amine (Protonitazene); N,N-Diethyl-2-(2-(4-fluorobenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethan-1-amine (F-Etonitazene); N,N-Diethyl-2-(2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethan-1-amine (Metodesnitazene); 2-(2-(4-Ethoxybenzyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)-N,N-diethylethan-1-amine (Etodesnitazene); 2-(2-(4-Ethoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)-N,N-dimethylethan-1-amine (Dimetnitazene); N,N-Diethyl-2-(2-(4-methylbenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)ethan-1-amine (Butonitazene); 2-(2-(4-Chlorobenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)-N,N-diethylethan-1-amine (Clonitazene);”; (v) after “Nicomorphine (3,6-dinicotinomorphine)”, insert— “2-(4-Ethoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1-(2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)ethyl)-1H-benzimidazole (Etonitazepyne); 2-(4-Isopropoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1-(2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)ethyl)-1H-benzimidazole (Isotonitazepyne); 5-Nitro-2-(4-propoxybenzyl)-1-(2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)ethyl)-1H-benzimidazole (Protonitazepyne); 1-(2-(Azepan-1-yl)ethyl)-2-(4-ethoxybenzyl)-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazole (Etonitazepipne);”; (vi) after “Normorphine”, insert— “N-Pyrrolidino protonitazene;”; (b) in paragraph 1(b), after “Bufotenine”, insert— “1-(5-Fluoropentyl)-N-(2-phenylpropan-2-yl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (Cumyl-Pepegaitienate);”.
This section inserts fifteen specific chemical compounds into the Class A drug list.
These compounds are primarily synthetic opioids known as nitazenes, identified here by both their technical IUPAC chemical names and their common street or shorthand names (such as Flunitazene or Isotonitazene).
Additionally, it moves Cumyl-Pepegaitienate, a synthetic cannabinoid, into the Class A category, which subjects it to the strictest controls and highest penalties for unauthorized use or distribution.
- In Part 2 of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (which specifies the drugs which are subject to control under that Act as Class B drugs)— (a) in paragraph 1(a), omit “Diphenoxylate”; (b) in paragraph 1(ca), omit “1-(5-Fluoropentyl)-N-(2-phenylpropan-2-yl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (Cumyl-Pepegaitienate)”
This section removes two entries from the Class B list of controlled drugs.
The removal of Cumyl-Pepegaitienate is necessary because it was moved to Class A in the previous section.
Diphenoxylate is removed from Class B because it is already listed as a Class A drug under specific concentration levels, and this change resolves the legislative duplication.
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