Pentylone

Pentylone is federally controlled in Schedule I under 21 C.F.R. § 1308.11(d)(64), effective March 1, 2017; the listing includes its optical, positional, and geometric isomers, salts, and salts of isomers whenever they can exist. The DEA identifies pentylone by controlled-substance code 7542, the alternate name bk-MBDP, and the chemical name 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-(methylamino)pentan-1-one. Federal law prohibits knowing or intentional possession unless the substance was obtained directly or under a valid prescription or practitioner order, or is otherwise authorized; unauthorized manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, import, and export are also prohibited. This federal classification does not determine separate state, District of Columbia, territorial, tribal, or local law.

Health Canada's current Drug Analysis Service and Cannabis Laboratory classification list expressly maps pentylone, a cathinone stimulant, to Schedule I, item 19, of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Pentylone is not individually named in the statutory schedule; item 19 covers amphetamines and their salts, derivatives, isomers, analogues, and salts of derivatives, isomers, and analogues, while section 2 defines an analogue as a substance with a substantially similar chemical structure in relation to a controlled substance. Except as authorized under the regulations, possession, import, export, possession for export, and production are prohibited; trafficking and possession for trafficking are also prohibited, with trafficking defined as conduct otherwise than under regulatory authority. Unauthorized possession is punishable on indictment by up to seven years' imprisonment, with summary-conviction limits of up to $1,000 and/or six months for a first offence and up to $2,000 and/or one year for a subsequent offence. Trafficking, possession for trafficking, unauthorized import or export, possession for export, and unauthorized production are indictable offences punishable by life imprisonment.

Pentylone is listed under the name Pentylon (bk-MBDP), chemically 1-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-(methylamino)pentan-1-on, in Anlage I of the Betäubungsmittelgesetz, which covers non-marketable narcotic drugs. Subject to the exceptions in § 4 (including receipt by a public or hospital pharmacy of an Anlage I substance for examination, onward transmission to a body authorized to examine narcotic drugs, or destruction; acquisition by a clinical-trial participant or by a patient in the specified hardship cases; and official activity by federal and state authorities), § 3 generally requires authorization to cultivate, produce, trade in, import, export, supply, sell, or acquire narcotic drugs. Authorization involving Anlage I substances may be granted only exceptionally for scientific or other public-interest purposes. Under § 29(1), unauthorized cultivation, production, trade, import, export, sale, supply, acquisition, or procurement, as well as possession without written authorization for acquisition, is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine. A court may refrain from punishment in a personal-use case involving a small quantity under § 29(5) BtMG. The consolidated Anlage I in effect after its amendment by Article 8 of the Act of 26 June 2026 lists Pentylon by exact name.

Pentylone is listed by the exact Swedish name Pentylon, chemically 1-(1,3-bensodioxol-5-yl)-2-(metylamino)pentan-1-on, in Förteckning I of Läkemedelsverkets föreskrifter (LVFS 2011:10) om förteckningar över narkotika; List I covers substances that normally have no medical use. The listing took effect on 16 January 2015. Unauthorized possession, use, production, sale, transfer, acquisition for transfer, processing, packaging, transport, storage, import, and export are prohibited, while Swedish law permits authorized channels for medical, scientific, specially important public-interest, and specified industrial purposes.

Pentylone falls within the generic structural definition in paragraph 1(aa) of Part II of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and is therefore controlled as a Class B drug. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs identifies pentylone as 1-(3,4-MDO-phenyl)-2-methylamino-pentan-1-one (also known as βk-MBDP) and expressly describes it as Class B. Its alkylenedioxy phenyl-ring substitution, alkyl substitution at the 3-position, and methyl substitution at the nitrogen atom bring it within paragraph 1(aa)(i), (ii), and (iii); it is not among the excluded compounds. The applicable generic definition has been in force since 16 April 2010. Possession, production, supply, import, and export are prohibited, subject to the licences, regulations, exceptions, and defences provided by the Act and subordinate legislation.