PURPOSE: to subject N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-Nphenylacrylamide (acryloylfentanyl) to control measures.
NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/1774 on subjecting N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylacrylamide (acryloylfentanyl) to control measures.
CONTENT: the Council Implementing Decision seeks to subject the new psychoactive substance N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylacrylamide (acryloylfentanyl) to control measures across the Union.
The risk assessment report drawn up by Decision 2005/387/JHA by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and sent to the Commission and the Council on 24 February 2017, concluded that this psychoactive substance detected in six Member States is a synthetic opioid whose structure is similar to fentanyl, a controlled substance commonly used in medicine as an adjunct to general anesthesia during surgery and for pain management It is mainly produced in China.
Three Member States have collectively reported 47 deaths associated with acryloylfentanyl and more than 20 acute intoxications suspected to be due to this substance have been reported.
Acryloylfentanyl is sold in small or wholesale amounts as a "research chemical", usually in the form of powder or as ready-to-use nasal. It has no established or acknowledged human or veterinary medical use.
Only nine Member States control acryloylfentanyl under national drug control legislation, while two other Member States use other legislative measures to control it.
The available evidence and information on the health and social risks that the substance poses provide sufficient grounds for subjecting acryloylfentanyl to control measures across the Union.
By 30 September 2018, Member States shall take the necessary measures in accordance with their national law to subject the new psychoactive substance to control measures and criminal penalties, as provided for under their legislation, in compliance with their obligations under the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances
The United Kingdom shall not participate in the adoption of the Decision and therefore shall not bound by it or subject to its application.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 30.9.2017.