BEIJING: Chinese authorities announced on Wednesday that the entire class of orphine-related substances will be placed under control as non-medicinal narcotic and psychotropic substances.
The measure will take effect on Oct. 1, 2026, according to the Ministry of Public Security, the National Health Commission, and the National Medical Products Administration. China has previously placed the entire categories of fentanyl-related substances, synthetic cannabinoids and nitazene-related substances under control.
The production, trading, transportation, use, storage, import and export of such substances are prohibited for all entities and individuals, according to management rules for non-medicinal narcotic and psychotropic substances. China has expanded its controls over such substances. From July 1, 16 additional non-medicinal narcotic and psychotropic substances have been brought under control.
Meanwhile, the country has also strengthened its controls over precursors of fentanyl-related substances.
In November 2025, China added 13 types of precursors for fentanyl-related substances to its export control list and applied country-specific measures to the United States, Mexico and Canada.
In May 2026, three additional types of fentanyl-related precursors were added to the list applicable to those three countries.
Also on Wednesday, Chinese judicial and law enforcement authorities issued guidelines on handling criminal cases involving fentanyl-related substances, emphasizing severe punishment for such crimes in accordance with the law.
Law enforcement efforts have been intensified against the illegal trafficking of precursor chemicals and other sensitive substances.
The Ministry of Public Security said in May that, since 2025, Chinese police had solved 29 criminal cases involving such materials, arrested 157 suspects, and seized 720 kg of drugs, 1.3 tonnes of new psychoactive substances, 0.9 kg of stimulants and 27.7 tonnes of non-scheduled precursor chemicals. –Agencies
