Current Scheduling Status
Year(s) and type of review / ECDD meetings
Drug Class
Recommendation (from TRS)
ECDD Technical summary
Levomethamphetamine is the (—)-isomer of methamphetamine. It is a central nervous system stimulant with a pharmacological profile similar to that of the (+)-isomer, but it is less potent. No toxicological or pharmacokinetic data on the substance are available. Levomethamphetamine is self-administered by rats under experimental conditions. There are no data available on clinical abuse liability, on the nature and magnitude of public health or social problems associated with this substance, or on the epidemiology of its use and abuse. The drug is controlled in several countries. In the USA, it is marketed as a nasal decongestant in an inhaler and this is an exempt preparation. There are some reports of illicit manufacture and trafficking in the drug. On the basis of the data outlined above, it was the consensus of the Expert Committee that levomethamphetamine met the criteria in article 2, paragraph 4, for control under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. On the basis of its marked chemical and pharmacological resemblance to (+)-methamphetamine the Expert Committee recommended that the drug be placed in Schedule II of the Convention.
Levomethamphetamine is the (—)-isomer of methamphetamine. It is a central nervous system stimulant with a pharmacological profile similar to that of the (+)-isomer, but it is less potent. No toxicological or pharmacokinetic data on the substance are available. Levomethamphetamine is self-administered by rats under experimental conditions. There are no data available on clinical abuse liability, on the nature and magnitude of public health or social problems associated with this substance, or on the epidemiology of its use and abuse. The drug is controlled in several countries. In the USA, it is marketed as a nasal decongestant in an inhaler and this is an exempt preparation. There are some reports of illicit manufacture and trafficking in the drug. On the basis of the data outlined above, it was the consensus of the Expert Committee that levomethamphetamine met the criteria in article 2, paragraph 4, for control under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. On the basis of its marked chemical and pharmacological resemblance to (+)-methamphetamine the Expert Committee recommended that the drug be placed in Schedule II of the Convention.
ECDD Recommendation
Inclusion in Schedule II of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances
Link to full TRS
who_trs_729.pdf1.29 MB