STOP Nitazenes Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7970 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7970

   To amend the Controlled Substances Act to permanently schedule 2-
  benzylbenzimidazole opioids (commonly referred to as nitazenes) as
       Schedule 1 controlled substances, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 2026

  Mr. Latta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
   the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To amend the Controlled Substances Act to permanently schedule 2-
  benzylbenzimidazole opioids (commonly referred to as nitazenes) as
       Schedule 1 controlled substances, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Tools to Outlaw
Poisonous Nitazenes Act'' or the ``STOP Nitazenes Act''.

SEC. 2. CLASS I SCHEDULING OF NITAZENES.

    (a) In General.--Section 202(c) of the Controlled Substances Act
(21 U.S.C. 812(c)) is amended by adding at the end of Schedule I the
following:
    ``(f)(1) Unless specifically exempted or unless listed in another
schedule, any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that
contains--
            ``(A) any quantity of a 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioid; or
            ``(B) the salts, isomers, and salts of isomers of a 2-
        benzylbenzimidazole opioid.
    ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `2-
benzylbenzimidazole opioid' includes the following:
            ``(A) A substance that is structurally related to 2-
        benzylbenzimidazole with the following modifications:
                    ``(i) At the 1-position, substitution with an alkyl
                linker connected to a substituted amine group
                containing hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, or a heteroaryl
                group, such as a morphilino, pyrrolidino, or
                piperidinyl group, whether or not further substituted.
                    ``(ii) At the 2-position--
                            ``(I) replacement of the alkyl portion of
                        the benzyl group with a substituted or
                        unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, carbamates group,
                        nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen atom; or
                            ``(II) replacement of the phenyl portion of
                        the benzyl group with an aryl or heteroaryl
                        group.
                    ``(iii) Substitution on the phenyl portion of the
                benzimidazole ring with a hydrogen atom, halogen,
                nitro, cyano, substituted or unsubstituted amide,
                amine, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or heteroaryl group.
                    ``(iv) At the 6-position, substitution with
                hydrogen, nitro, trifluoromethyl, methoxy,
                trifluoromethoxy, cyano, and halogen group.
            ``(B) A substance that exhibits agonist activity at the mu-
        opioid receptor.
            ``(C) Etonitazene, clonitazene, metonitazene,
        isotonitazene, protonitazene, butonitazene, etodesnitazene,
        flunitazene, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene, N-desethyl
        isotonitazene, and N-piperidinyl etonitazene.
    ``(3) The Attorney General may by order publish in the Federal
Register a list of substances that satisfy the definition of the term
`2-benzyl benzimidazole opioid' in paragraph (2).''.
    (b) Removal of Temporary Status.--Any substance included in the
amendment made by subsection (a) that was temporarily scheduled under
section 201(h) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 811(h))
shall be deemed permanently scheduled and subject to the requirements
of Schedule I of section 202(c) of that Act (21 U.S.C. 812(c)) as of
the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. RULEMAKING.

    (a) Interim Final Rule.--The Attorney General--
            (1) shall, not later than 1 year after the date of
        enactment of this Act, issue rules to implement this Act,
        including the amendments made by this Act; and
            (2) may issue the rules under paragraph (1) as an interim
        final rule.
    (b) Procedure for Final Rule.--
            (1) Effectiveness of interim final rules.--A rule issued by
        the Attorney General as an interim final rule under subsection
        (a) shall become immediately effective as an interim final rule
        without requiring the Attorney General to demonstrate good
        cause therefor, notwithstanding subparagraph (B) of section
        553(b) of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Opportunity for comment and hearing.--An interim final
        rule issued under subsection (a) shall give interested persons
        the opportunity to comment and to request a hearing.
            (3) Final rule.--After the conclusion of proceedings under
        paragraph (2), the Attorney General shall issue a final rule to
        implement this Act, including the amendments made by this Act,
        in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code.
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