China to regulate all fentanyl drugs as controlled substance

China said Monday it would begin regulating all fentanyl-related drugs as a class of controlled substances, in a change US officials had long advocated as a way to stem the flow of lethal opioids from China.

The sweeping change in the way China regulates drugs that mimic fentanyl takes effect May 1 and could help end the game of regulatory whack-a-mole with chemists who can manufacture novel opioids faster than they can be banned.

It could also facilitate prosecutions of opioid merchants in China, who until now have skirted the law by manufacturing and exporting fentanyl variants that were technically legal in China.

"We firmly believe that listing the entire class of fentanyl substances will completely block the loopholes that enable law breakers to evade punishment by simply modifying one or several atoms, functional groups or other groups," said Liu Yuejin, vice-commissioner of China's National Narcotics Control Commission.

"It will effectively prevent the massive abuse of fentanyl substances and illegal drug trafficking and smuggling activities, and contribute to global drug control with China's wisdom and power."
"It cannot be the main source for the United States. The US accusation lacks evidence and is contrary to the facts."
"The two sides are still progressing with cooperative investigative work. The US, however, now takes some measures like indictments without informing us beforehand. This undermines the sound atmosphere of two sides' cooperation. We express regret for this."