Consultation - Proposal regarding the scheduling of W-18 under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its Regulations
Notice to the reader:
The Order and Regulations with respect to AH-7921, MT-45 and W-18 have been finalized. They were published in Canada Gazette, Part II on June 1, 2016. Go to the Canada Gazette ( Order) and ( Regulations) for further details.
The purpose of this Notice of Consultation is to provide an opportunity to comment on Health Canada's proposal to add W-18 to Schedule I to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to Part I of the Schedule to Part "J" of the Food and Drug Regulations.
W-18 is a synthetic opioid which was initially developed for its analgesic potential and patented in Canada and the United States in 1984. W-18 has never been marketed commercially and there is no known evidence demonstrating that W-18 has any actual or potential uses apart from scientific research. W-18 was first detected in Europe in 2013, in the context of recreational use as a "legal" substitute for other controlled substances. W-18 first appeared in Canada in 2015, found in samples seized by law enforcement authorities. This included counterfeit tablets that had W-18 as the only active ingredient, but were made to appear like prescription oxycodone tablets.
In order to capture substances that are structurally related to W-18 and have psychoactive effects, it is also proposed that the salts, derivatives, isomers and analogues of W-18 and the salts of these substances be scheduled along with the parent substance.
How to Get Involved
Proposed amendments are outlined in a Notice to Interested Parties (NTIP). The NTIP was published in Canada Gazette, Part I, on February 13, 2016, initiating a 30-day comment period ending on March 14, 2016.
Go to the Canada Gazette for further details.
If you are interested in this process or have comments on the proposed changes, please contact:
By mail at:
Legislative and Regulatory Affairs,
Controlled Substances Directorate,
Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch,
Health Canada,
Address Locator: 0302A,
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0K9
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