Alabama is considering making alprazolam a Schedule II substance under state law. Our colleague, Susan Trujillo, reports on this proposed rule which also proposes up-scheduling other benzodiazepines, pregabalin and zolpidem. DEA registrants are required to follow the stricter of federal law or applicable state law. Up-scheduling of controlled substances at the state level often changes recordkeeping, reporting, prescribing and security obligations. In recent years, state scheduling actions have also been a harbinger of rescheduling actions by DEA. Some states took action to schedule carisopridol and tramadol and to up-schedule hydrocodone before the DEA initiated scheduling actions on those substances. Is this proposed rule a sign of things to come? Stay tuned to the DEA Chronicles for updates on scheduling actions and other matters involving DEA regulatory and enforcement actions.
