21 State Attorneys General Urge DEA Ban on Deadly Designer Xanax

A coalition of 21 state attorneys general, led by Kentucky AG Russell Coleman, is urging the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to federally ban bromazolam, a synthetic benzodiazepine known as “Designer Xanax” that is linked to a rising number of overdose deaths nationwide. Bromazolam is highly potent, unpredictable, often mixed with opioids, and resistant to Narcan overdose reversal, making it a significant public health threat. While several states, including Virginia and Kentucky, have already classified bromazolam as a Schedule 1 substance due to its high potential for abuse and lack of medical use, it remains federally unscheduled, limiting federal enforcement efforts. The coalition’s letter to DEA Administrator Terry Cole highlights the drug’s illicit manufacture without quality controls, its deceptive marketing to children, and the urgent need for emergency scheduling to aid law enforcement and prosecutors. The attorneys general emphasize that banning bromazolam federally will help cut off supply, hold traffickers accountable, and send a clear message that this dangerous drug has no place on American streets. Kentucky officials also report increased seizures of bromazolam, underscoring the growing threat posed by this designer drug.