Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has issued an emergency regulation banning the sale of bromazolam, a dangerous drug often referred to as “designer Xanax,” after it was linked to nearly 50 overdose deaths in the state last year.

The emergency order immediately classifies bromazolam as a Schedule 1 controlled substance in Kentucky. This designation empowers law enforcement to arrest individuals for selling or possessing the drug, closing a critical gap in enforcement against what officials say is a growing public health threat.

The move came at the request of Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, who is spearheading a national coalition of 21 attorneys general calling on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to take similar action at the federal level.

“Law enforcement desperately needs the tools to drive this dangerous drug from our neighborhoods,” Coleman said. “As little as one pill can kill – and is killing – our kids.”

A Lethal and Unregulated Drug

Bromazolam, which mimics the effects of Xanax, is unregulated and illicitly manufactured. It is often sold online or on the street, sometimes passed off as legitimate prescription medication. Without any quality controls, the drug is highly unpredictable and particularly lethal when mixed with opioids or other depressants.

“This deadly drug has no place in our communities,” Beshear said. “With this emergency order, we now have the tools needed to get it off the streets and protect more lives.”

National and Interstate Efforts

Kentucky’s ban aligns the state with others that have already scheduled bromazolam, including Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia. Attorneys general from states such as South Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania have joined the call for DEA intervention, warning that without federal scheduling, traffickers will continue to exploit regulatory loopholes.

Coleman emphasized the urgency of nationwide action: “We cannot afford to wait. This drug is killing our neighbors, our friends, and our children.”

As federal authorities weigh the request, Kentucky’s swift action positions the state at the forefront of the fight against bromazolam’s spread—sending a clear message that communities will not wait idly as the overdose crisis deepens.

Source: Associated Press