3-CMC and Eutylone got finally banned in the Netherlands
The Netherlands have finally banned the probably very concerning substance 3-CMC. It was added to List 1 of the Opiate Act which makes it a schedule 1 together with established problems like Heroin. The government explains that “Based on the most recent risk information about 3-CMC, placement was chosen on List I.”
The new law law bans 3-CMC (3-chloromethcathinone, clofedron) aka 1-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)propane-1-one and also brorphine, and metonitazene and Eutylone (N-ethylbutylone (eutylon) aka 1-(2 H-1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-(ethylamino)butane-1 and lists them in List 1 of the Opiate Act.
The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, E.J. Coopers further states that because of the unacceptable risks associated with these new psychoactive substances are deviated from the so-called fixed moments of change. In addition, it concerns the implementation of EU law and decisions of an organization governed by international law. Pursuant to Article 3, seventh paragraph, of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs should be decided as soon as possible enter into force.
Interesting: The delegate Directive (EU) 2022/1326 and Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA together require Member States to to take the necessary measures to produce, manufacture, extract, prepare, offer, put up for sale, distribute, sell, deliver, regardless the conditions, trading, transit, transport, import or export of 3-CMC and 3-MMC in accordance with their national legislation by 18 February 2023. This Decision fulfils that obligation with regard to 3-CMC. That obligation has already been fulfilled in respect of 3-MMC, as this substance in 2021 has been placed on list II belonging to the Opium Act.
This general administrative measure therefore enters into force on the day after publication in the Offical Journal which was on October 15, 2023.
In July 2023, The World Health Organisation had crititcally reviewed not only 3-CMC, but also Bromazolam, Flubromazepam, Butonitazene, DiPentylone and 2-FDCK.
The upcoming 46th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence documents (October 16th) willl probably recommend to schedule all of them.
Also, they have the medicines Nitrous oxide and Carisoprodol on their schedule.
EMCDDA initial report on the new psychoactive substance
3-chloromethcathinone aka 3-CMC
The European Drug Monitoring Agency EMCDDA / EUDA publishd an elaborate piece on 3-CMC and its history and dangers. 3-CMC was first discovered in late 2014. The substance was not popular at all until 2020 when 4-CMC had gotten banned and 3-CMC was advertised as an replacement. In 2021, about a 1,500 3-CMC parcels had been seized.
All CMC substances are consideered remakrably unhealthy. The Netherlands almost istantly following the WHO recommendation is a clear sign that these compounds had been poisonous.
Designer Precursors
Other than standard organic synthesis methods using known precursors, cathinones can be prepared using so-called ‘‘designer precursors’’. These are ‘‘purpose-made, close chemical relatives of controlled precursors and can easily be converted into a controlled precursor.
Such can be, in example, stable chemical intermediates, masked derivatives of controlled precursors, or masked derivatives of controlled drugs.
Illicit production of 3-CMC
Seized 3-CMC in busted labs in Europe shows that European labs would import these new Designer Precursor Kits and focus on final stages of cathinones production (‘finishing labs’).
LIttle information exists on the synthetic impurities present in 3-CMC samples. Approximately 400 kg of 3-CMC powders, also containing iso-3-CMC, were seized by Dutch Customs in 2021. Isocathinones such as iso-3-CMC, can be by-products of cathinone poorly done synthesis
Almost 50% of the laboratories were seized between 2019 and 2021, suggesting that there has been an increase in the interest in producing cathinones in Europe. Of the 55 laboratories seized, 3 sites were involved in the production of 3-CMC: one seized in Slovakia in 2017, and 2 seized in Poland in 2020.
The majority of CMC seemed to come from amateur labs in India which lack the expertise to provide quality products. CHina had already banned CMC in 2016.
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