24/10/2017 (Agence Europe) – MEPs voted by 622 to 8, with 33 abstentions, in Strasbourg on Tuesday 24 October to submit the new psychoactive substance furanylfentanyl to the control measures in the EU proposed by the Council of the EU at the request of the Commission and nine member states. Furanylfentanyl is a harmful substance, sold online as a “chemical research product” in powder form or as a ready-to-use nasal spray. It is a solid synthetic opioid which can be extremely harmful to health. According to the risk assessment report from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, this substance has been found in 16 member states and has been linked to 23 deaths (see EUROPE 11823). It has so far been subject to control measures in only 13 member states. (MF)