G/TBT/N/CAN/481  
 
22 February 2016  
(16-1053)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English/French  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: CANADA 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: Health Canada 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point 
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada Technical Barriers and Regulations Division (TIB) 
111 Sussex Drive 
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2 Canada Telephone: (343) 203-4273 
Fax: (613) 943-0346 
Email: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10 .1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other: 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): W-18 (4-chloro-N-[1-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethyl]-2-piperidinylidene]benzenesulfonamide), its 
salts, derivatives, isomers and analogues and salts of derivatives, isomers and analogues 
(ICS: 11.120) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Notice to 
interested parties – Proposal regarding the scheduling of W-18 under the Controlled Drugs 
and Substances Act and its Regulations (2 pages, available in English and French) 
6. Description of content: 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.  
Although there are no published studies regard ing the toxicity of W-18, the high analgesic 
potency of W-18, according to the patent, suggests a potential severe risk for overdose. In 
addition to the risk of overdose, risks asso ciated with W-18 can be elevated because of 
lack of data about toxicity, bioavailability, tolerance, half-life and onset of effects, which can lead users to experiment blindly with this substance. 
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. G/TBT/N/CAN/481 
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: The purpose of these amendments is to  protect public health and public 
safety.  
8. Relevant documents: Canada Gazette ,Part I, 13 February 2016, pages 449-450 
(available in English and French) 
9. Proposed date of adoption: Anticipated for Summer 2016 
Proposed date of entry into force: 180 days from the date of  publication in Canada 
Gazette, part II 
10. Final date for comments: 13 April 2016 
11. Texts available from: Nati onal enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
The electronic version of the Notice to Interested Parties can be downloaded at: 
http://www.gazette.gc.c a/rp-pr/p1/2016/2016-02 -13/pdf/g1-15007.pdf 
http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2016/201 6-02-13/html/notice-avis-eng.html#nl3   
http://www.gazette.gc .ca/rp-pr/p1/2016/201 6-02-13/html/notice -avis-fra.html#nl3