ETH-CAT

Ethcathinone is federally controlled in Schedule I as a positional isomer of mephedrone. Section 1308.11(d) of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations includes the position isomers of its listed hallucinogenic substances, paragraph (d)(36) lists mephedrone, and the Drug Enforcement Administration identifies Ethcathinone as a positional isomer of mephedrone. Mephedrone was added to Schedule I on July 9, 2012. Federal law prohibits unauthorized possession, manufacture, distribution, dispensing, and possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense controlled substances; state and local laws may impose additional controls.

Ethcathinone is listed by its exact name, N-ETILCATINONA, in Lista F2 of Portaria SVS/MS nº 344, de 12 de maio de 1998, Anexo I, Lista F2, updated by Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada Anvisa nº 1.036, de 9 de julho de 2026, where it is identified as 2-(ETILAMINA)-1-FENILPROPAN-1-ONA; the listing has been in force since 12 November 2015. Article 4 of Portaria SVS/MS nº 344 prohibits its production, manufacture, import, export, commerce, and use, except for activities conducted by authorized bodies and institutions strictly for medical and scientific research. For personal use, article 28 of Lei nº 11.343/2006 subjects acquiring, keeping, holding in storage, transporting, or carrying it without authorization or contrary to law or regulation to a warning about the effects of drugs, community service, or an educational measure requiring attendance at a program or course.

N-Ethylcathinone (ETH-CAT) is controlled as an analogue under Schedule I, item 19, line 1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, rather than being individually named in the schedule. Health Canada's Drug Analysis Service and Cannabis Laboratory classification list maps N-Ethylcathinone to that provision, which covers amphetamines and their derivatives, isomers, and analogues. The Act defines an analogue as a substance with a substantially similar chemical structure to a controlled substance. Unauthorized possession, trafficking, possession for trafficking, import, export, possession for export, and production are prohibited.

Ethcathinone is listed by its exact name, chemical name, and CAS number 18259-37-5 as item 81 in the 2025 Catalogue of Non-Medical Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. It has been controlled since 1 October 2015. Unauthorized production, sale, transport, storage, supply, possession, and use are prohibited; lawful medical, teaching, and scientific activities remain subject to licensing and inspection.

Ethylcathinone is listed as Ethylcathinon (N-ethylcathinon) at item 166 of List B in the Bekendtgørelse om euforiserende stoffer. It has been included in List B since 21 December 2008. List B substances may be used only for medical or scientific purposes; possession and other dealings require authorization under the order's licensing rules.

ETH-CAT is listed by the exact name Ethcathinon in Anlage II of the Betäubungsmittelgesetz as a marketable but non-prescribable narcotic drug; the listing identifies it as (RS)-2-(Ethylamino)-1-phenylpropan-1-one. The listing has been effective since 26 July 2012. Under § 29(1), unauthorized manufacture, trade, import, export, sale, supply, acquisition, procurement, and possession without written authorization to acquire the drug are punishable by up to five years' imprisonment or a fine. Under § 29(5), a court may refrain from punishment when the drug was handled or possessed only for personal use in a small quantity.

N-Ethylcathinone, also identified as 2-ethylamino-1-phenylpropan-1-one, is listed in item 10ה of Part A, Section B of the First Schedule to פקודת הסמים המסוכנים [נוסח חדש], התשל״ג–1973; the listing took effect on 30 January 2008. The Ordinance requires a director's licence for production, preparation, or extraction, and prohibits possession or use unless the Ordinance, regulations, or a licence allows it; section 11's specified possession permissions are limited to drugs in Part B, while section 12 permits therapeutic use when lawfully supplied by listed health professionals or under a licence. Export, import, trade, transactions, and supply are likewise restricted under section 13, and section 14 prohibits brokerage only when the underlying conduct is forbidden by section 13. Transit under section 15 is allowed only from a country where export is permitted to one where import is permitted, with a valid foreign export or diversion permit additionally required when the drug comes from a state party to the relevant convention; under section 19, sections 15 through 18 do not apply to postal transit, overflight without landing, or a reasonable quantity forming part of the medical stores of a vessel or aircraft.

ETH-CAT is listed by the exact name ETKATYNON in item 58 of Group I-P in Annex 1 of Poland's psychotropic-substances schedule; the entry gives N-etylokatynon as another name and identifies it chemically as 2-(etyloamino)-1-fenylopropan-1-on. The regulation took effect on 21 August 2018, although ETH-CAT may have been controlled under a predecessor schedule before that date. Group I-P psychotropic substances may be used only for research. Under Article 62(1), unauthorized possession of a psychotropic substance is punishable by up to three years' imprisonment.

ETH-CAT is listed as N-etylkatinon, chemically identified as 2-etylamin-1-fenyl-propan-1-on, in bilaga 1 to Förordning (1992:1554) and in Förteckning I of LVFS 2011:10. The classification took effect on 1 October 2010. Under section 1 of Narkotikastrafflag (1968:64), unauthorized transfer, acquisition for transfer, possession, and use are narcotics offences; production is covered when intended for abuse, while procurement, processing, packaging, transport, and storage are covered when the narcotics are not intended for personal use. Import and export require a permit in each individual case, subject to regulatory exceptions.

Ethcathinone, named as Ethcathinon with the chemical name 2-Ethylamino-1-phenyl-propan-1-on, is listed as item 17 in Annex 6, Verzeichnis e, of the Betäubungsmittelverzeichnisverordnung (BetmVV-EDI). Verzeichnis e materials and products are subject to the control measures applicable to Verzeichnis a narcotics, and their cultivation, production, import, export, storage, use, or placing on the market requires authorization from the Federal Department of Home Affairs. Unauthorized conduct is punishable by up to three years' imprisonment or a monetary penalty.

Ethcathinone (ETH-CAT) is controlled as a Class B drug under the generic structural definition in Schedule 2 Part II paragraph 1(aa)(iii) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Its N-ethyl substitution places it within that definition; it is not individually named in the schedule. This classification has applied since 16 April 2010. Possession, production, supply, import, and export are prohibited, subject to applicable regulations, licences, and other statutory exceptions.