IUPAC Name
2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-
methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine
Current Scheduling Status
Year(s) and type of review / ECDD meetings
Drug Class
Recommendation (from TRS)
Substance identification
25I-NBOMe (2C-I-NBOMe) is chemically 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N- [(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine.
Previous review
25I-NBOMe had not been previously pre-reviewed or critically reviewed by the Committee. A direct critical review was proposed based on information brought to WHO’s attention that 25I-NBOMe is clandestinely manufactured, poses an especially serious risk to public health and society, and has no recognized therapeutic use by any party. Preliminary data collected from the literature and from different countries indicated that this substance may cause substantial harm and that it has no medical use. Similarity to known substances and effects on the central nervous system 25I-NBOMe is structurally related to the phenethylamine 2C-I. It has nanomolar affinity for the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor and is a full agonist, with less affinity for the 5-HT2C receptor. 25I-NBOMe is a central nervous system stimulant with hallucinogenic properties. Adverse effects in clinical intoxications included tachycardia, hypertension, confusion, agitation, aggression, visual and auditory hallucinations, seizures, hyperpyrexia, clonus, metabolic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury. User injury from violent behaviour has also been reported. Various analytically confirmed non-fatal and fatal intoxications involving 25I-NBOMe have been reported in the literature.
Dependence potential
No studies have examined the dependence potential of 25I-NBOMe in vitro, in animals or in humans.
Actual abuse and/or evidence of likelihood of abuse
25I-NBOMe abuse and/or seized material has been reported in 25 countries. It has been sold as a replacement for LSD or sold as LSD directly on the illicit drug market, including as blotter tabs. It has also been associated with the purchase of so-called research chemicals via the Internet.
Therapeutic usefulness
25I-NBOMe has no recorded therapeutic applications or medical use. However, radiolabelled 25I-NBOMe has been used in medical research as a tool to study the serotonergic system in the brain and as a tracer for PET imaging.
Recommendation
The Committee noted the challenges associated with the evidence base concerning the substance. The Committee considered that the degree of risk to public health and society associated with the abuse liability of 25I-NBOMe is especially serious. While the Committee noted its use in medical research, 25I-NBOMe has no recorded therapeutic use. The Committee considered that the evidence of its abuse warranted its placement under international control and recommended that 25I-NBOMe be placed in Schedule I of the 1971 Convention.
25I-NBOMe (2C-I-NBOMe) is chemically 2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N- [(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine.
Previous review
25I-NBOMe had not been previously pre-reviewed or critically reviewed by the Committee. A direct critical review was proposed based on information brought to WHO’s attention that 25I-NBOMe is clandestinely manufactured, poses an especially serious risk to public health and society, and has no recognized therapeutic use by any party. Preliminary data collected from the literature and from different countries indicated that this substance may cause substantial harm and that it has no medical use. Similarity to known substances and effects on the central nervous system 25I-NBOMe is structurally related to the phenethylamine 2C-I. It has nanomolar affinity for the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor and is a full agonist, with less affinity for the 5-HT2C receptor. 25I-NBOMe is a central nervous system stimulant with hallucinogenic properties. Adverse effects in clinical intoxications included tachycardia, hypertension, confusion, agitation, aggression, visual and auditory hallucinations, seizures, hyperpyrexia, clonus, metabolic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury. User injury from violent behaviour has also been reported. Various analytically confirmed non-fatal and fatal intoxications involving 25I-NBOMe have been reported in the literature.
Dependence potential
No studies have examined the dependence potential of 25I-NBOMe in vitro, in animals or in humans.
Actual abuse and/or evidence of likelihood of abuse
25I-NBOMe abuse and/or seized material has been reported in 25 countries. It has been sold as a replacement for LSD or sold as LSD directly on the illicit drug market, including as blotter tabs. It has also been associated with the purchase of so-called research chemicals via the Internet.
Therapeutic usefulness
25I-NBOMe has no recorded therapeutic applications or medical use. However, radiolabelled 25I-NBOMe has been used in medical research as a tool to study the serotonergic system in the brain and as a tracer for PET imaging.
Recommendation
The Committee noted the challenges associated with the evidence base concerning the substance. The Committee considered that the degree of risk to public health and society associated with the abuse liability of 25I-NBOMe is especially serious. While the Committee noted its use in medical research, 25I-NBOMe has no recorded therapeutic use. The Committee considered that the evidence of its abuse warranted its placement under international control and recommended that 25I-NBOMe be placed in Schedule I of the 1971 Convention.
ECDD Recommendation
Inclusion in Schedule I of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances
Link to full TRS
who_trs_991_eng.pdf1.3 MB
MS Questionnaire Report