Kentucky Moves Swiftly to Outlaw Deadly ‘Designer Xanax’

By Staff Reporter | Somerset-Pulaski Advocate

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (SPA) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear took emergency action Monday to ban the sale of “designer Xanax,” a potent synthetic drug linked to nearly 50 overdose deaths in the state last year. In a media release Govermor Beshear announced the emergency designation of bromazolam as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.

The move, prompted by a request from Attorney General Russell Coleman, immediately classifies bromazolam—commonly known as designer Xanax—as a Schedule I controlled substance in Kentucky. The designation empowers law enforcement to arrest individuals for selling or possessing the drug, which officials warn is often passed off as legitimate prescription medication.

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

The governor’s action coincides with a national push to regulate bromazolam. Coleman, joined by attorneys general from 20 other states, sent a letter Monday to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Terry Cole, urging federal emergency action to schedule the drug.

“Law enforcement desperately needs the tools to drive this dangerous drug from our neighborhoods,” Coleman said. “We live in a moment when as little as one pill can kill—and is killing—our kids.” A copy of the Kentucky Attyoeny Genewrla Letter can be found here

A Growing National Threat

Bromazolam has been detected in an increasing number of fatal overdoses across the U.S., particularly when combined with opioids or other depressants. Unlike regulated benzodiazepines, the illicitly manufactured version lacks quality control, making it unpredictable and often lethal.

A national report found that overdose deaths involving illicit synthetic drugs surged 520% between 2019 and 2020, highlighting the broader public health risks.

Despite the mounting dangers, bromazolam remains unscheduled at the federal level, a gap that Coleman and other attorneys general say hinders both law enforcement and public health responses.

Bipartisan Effort Against a Deadly Drug

The coalition urging DEA action spans much of the South and Midwest, including attorneys general from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

In Kentucky, Beshear’s emergency regulation is the latest step in his broader crackdown on drug-related deaths. The Democratic governor, now serving his second term, emphasized the need for proactive measures.

“This action sends a clear message,” Beshear said. “We will not allow dangerous synthetic drugs to take more lives in Kentucky.”