I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1839 
To prohibit certain uses of xylazine, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 28, 2023 
Mr. PANETTA (for himself, Mr. PFLUGER, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BUCK, Mr. 
PAPPAS, Mr. BACON, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. VASQUEZ, Mr. THOMPSON of 
California, and Ms. HOULAHAN) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 
the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prohibit certain uses of xylazine, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Combating Illicit 
Xylazine Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Illicit xylazine presents an urgent threat to 
public health and safety. 
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(2) The proliferation of xylazine as an additive 
to illicit drugs such as fentanyl and other narcotics 
threatens to exacerbate the opioid public health 
emergency. 
(3) There is currently no drug approved by the 
Food and Drug Administration to reverse the effects 
of xylazine in humans. 
(4) The physical effects of use of xylazine in 
humans can include depressed breathing and heart 
rate, unconsciousness, and necrosis, sometimes lead-
ing to amputation or other permanent physical 
health consequences. 
(5) The spread of illicit xylazine use has fol-
lowed geographic patterns seen in the spread of rec-
reational fentanyl use, with proliferation beginning 
in the Northeastern United States and later spread-
ing south and west. 
(6) Prompt action to control illicit xylazine will 
help limit further proliferation of illicit xylazine, sav-
ing countless lives. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In this Act, the term ‘‘xylazine’’ 
has the meaning given the term in paragraph (60) of sec-
tion 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, as added by 
subsection (b) of this section. 
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(b) CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.—Section 102 of 
the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating the second paragraph (57) 
(relating to serious drug felony) and paragraph (58) 
as paragraphs (58) and (59), respectively; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(60) The term ‘xylazine’ means any of the following 
substances, including their salts, isomers, and salts of iso-
mers whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and 
salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical 
designation: 
‘‘(A) Xylazine. 
‘‘(B) Xylazine-M (2,6Mich dimethylaniline). 
‘‘(C) 
Xylazine-M 
(N-thiourea-2,6- 
dimethylaniline). 
‘‘(D) Xylazine-M (sulfone-HO-) isomer 2. 
‘‘(E) Xylazine-M (HO-2,6-dimethylaniline iso-
mer 1). 
‘‘(F) Xylazine-M (HO-2,6-dimethylaniline iso-
mer 2). 
‘‘(G) Xylazine M (oxo-). 
‘‘(H) Xylazine-M (HO-) isomer 1. 
‘‘(I) Xylazine-M (HO-) isomer 1 glucuronide. 
‘‘(J) Xylazine-M (HO-) isomer 2. 
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‘‘(K) Xylazine-M (HO-) isomer 2 glucuronide. 
‘‘(L) Xylazine-M (HO-oxo-) isomer 1. 
‘‘(M) Xylazine-M (HO-oxo-) isomer 1 glu-
curonide. 
‘‘(N) Xylazine-M (HO-oxo-) isomer 2. 
‘‘(O) Xylazine-M (HO-oxo-) isomer 2 glu-
curonide. 
‘‘(P) Xylazine-M (sulfone). 
‘‘(Q) Xylazine-M (sulfone-HO-) isomer 1. 
‘‘(R) Any compound, mixture, or preparation 
which contains any quantity of any of the substances 
referred to in subparagraphs (A) through (Q).’’. 
SEC. 4. UNLAWFUL DISTRIBUTION AND PENALTIES RELAT-
ING TO XYLAZINE. 
(a) PROHIBITED ACTS A—PENALTIES.— 
(1) CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCES
ACT.—Section 
401 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 
841) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ‘‘or 
xylazine for illicit uses under section 424’’ after 
‘‘controlled substance’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)(1)(E)(i), by inserting 
‘‘or unlawful distribution of xylazine for illicit 
uses under section 424’’ after ‘‘schedule III’’. 
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(2) CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCES
IMPORT
AND 
EXPORT ACT.—Section 1010 of the Controlled Sub-
stances Import and Export Act (21 U.S.C. 960) is 
amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or 
xylazine for illicit uses under section 424’’ 
after ‘‘controlled substance’’; 
(ii) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or 
xylazine for illicit uses under section 424’’ 
after ‘‘controlled substance’’; and 
(iii) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘or 
xylazine for illicit uses under section 424’’ 
after ‘‘controlled substance’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)(5), by inserting ‘‘or 
the unlawful distribution of xylazine for illicit 
uses under section 424’’ after ‘‘schedule III’’. 
(b) ILLICIT USE AND DISTRIBUTION.—Part D of the 
Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 424. ILLICIT USE AND DISTRIBUTION OF XYLAZINE. 
‘‘(a) ILLICIT USE.—It is unlawful for any person to 
engage in any of the following illicit uses of xylazine: 
‘‘(1) Any use in the human species. 
‘‘(2) Any use that is not a licit use. 
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‘‘(b) LICIT USE.—Licit use of xylazine means— 
‘‘(1) any administration to nonhuman species— 
‘‘(A) of a drug containing xylazine that has 
been approved by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services under section 512 of the Fed-
eral Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 
360b); or 
‘‘(B) that is permissible under section 
512(a)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cos-
metic Act (21 U.S.C. 360b(a)(4)); 
‘‘(2) the manufacturing, importation, or use of 
xylazine as an active pharmaceutical ingredient for 
manufacturing an animal drug approved under sec-
tion 512 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
Act (21 U.S.C. 360b) or issued an investigation use 
exemption under subsection (j) of such section 512; 
‘‘(3) the manufacturing, importation, or use of 
a 
xylazine 
bulk 
chemical 
for 
pharmaceutical 
compounding by licensed pharmacists or veterinar-
ians; or 
‘‘(4) another use approved or permissible under 
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
U.S.C. 301 et seq.).’’. 
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SEC. 5. ARCOS TRACKING. 
Section 307(i) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 
U.S.C. 827) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘or xylazine’’ after 
‘‘gamma hydroxybutyric acid’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or 512’’ after ‘‘section 
505’’; and 
(C) by inserting ‘‘respectively,’’ after ‘‘the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (6), by inserting ‘‘or xylazine’’ 
after ‘‘gamma hydroxybutyric acid’’. 
SEC. 6. REPORT TO CONGRESS ON XYLAZINE. 
(a) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney Gen-
eral, acting through the Administrator of the Drug En-
forcement Administration and in coordination with the 
Commissioner of Food and Drugs, shall submit to Con-
gress a report on the prevalence of illicit use of xylazine 
in the United States and the impacts of such use, includ-
ing— 
(1) where the drug is being diverted; 
(2) where the drug is originating; 
(3) whether any analogues to such drug present 
a substantial risk of abuse; 
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