Xylazine — an animal tranquilizer increasingly mixed into illicit fentanyl and street drugs, where it is known as "tranq" — would become a Schedule III controlled substance under federal law. The bill adds xylazine to the Controlled Substances Act and requires manufacturers, distributors, and prescribers to follow Schedule III rules, while carving out protections so that veterinarians, pharmacies, pet owners, farmers, and animal-control and wildlife programs can still obtain and possess it for legitimate animal use without registering as drug handlers. FDA-approved xylazine drug products are treated separately from these illicit-use restrictions. Companies already making xylazine would not have to pay for the physical-security upgrades normally required for Schedule III drugs, and new labeling and practitioner-registration requirements would phase in over 60 days to one year to ease the transition. The Drug Enforcement Administration would add xylazine to its ARCOS system that tracks controlled-substance transactions, and the U.S. Sentencing Commission would review criminal penalties for xylazine trafficking. Federal agencies would also have to report to Congress on where illicit xylazine comes from and how widely it is misused, and publish their scientific evaluation of the drug on public government websites.
Corporate Benefits
- Schedule III security-upgrade mandate — Waived for companies already manufacturing xylazine
Transparency & Accountability
- Xylazine sales tracking — Added to the DEA's ARCOS drug-transaction reporting system
- Reports to Congress — DEA and FDA must report on xylazine diversion and trafficking
- Public disclosure — Scientific scheduling evaluation posted on HHS and DOJ websites
Congressional Summary
Combating Illicit Xylazine ActThis bill regulates xylazine under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).Xylazine, also known as tranq, is a nonopioid sedative and pain reliever that is approved for use in animals. Recently, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reported an increase in trafficking of fentanyl mixed with xylazine.This bill adds xylazine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, to schedule III of the CSA. Schedule III controlled substances, including anabolic steroids, buprenorphine, and ketamine, have less potential for abuse than a schedule I or II substance, have a currently accepted medical use, and have low or moderate risk of dependence if abused.Under the bill, manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing xylazine, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense xylazine for illicit use is subject to criminal penalties under the CSA. The bill also requires xylazine transactions to be tracked in the drug reporting system maintained by the DEA.The bill exempts from registration under the CSA persons and entities that possess xylazine (1) lawfully dispensed by a veterinarian or pharmacy and (2) for an animal or for use in certain animal-control or wildlife programs.The bill also exempts xylazine manufacturers from the CSA's physical security requirements.Finally, the bill requires the DEA, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to provide Congress with a report on how the agencies previously determined whether xylazine should be a controlled substance, including the full text of HHS's recommendations to the DEA for scheduling xylazine.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Reported to Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-04-15
- Date Added
- 2026-07-11
- Source
- Congress.gov →
Like reading a bill in plain English?
We're building an app that does this for every bill in Congress and lets you tell your reps how you want them to vote. We're a small team getting ready to launch, and we're trying to show investors that real people want this. Be one of them. Help us get it built. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment the app is ready.