GBL

Germany lists γ-butyrolactone (GBL) in Anlage 2 of the Neue-psychoaktive-Stoffe-Gesetz. Since 12 April 2026, the listing covers the pure substance and preparations containing more than 20 percent GBL; acquisition, possession, manufacture, trade, placing on the market, administration, and movement into, out of, or through Germany are prohibited. Recognized commercial, industrial, and scientific uses are excepted, while trade, placing on the market, administration, and manufacture or import for placing on the market carry criminal penalties.

Spain treats GBL as covered by the criminal-law controls applicable to GHB even though GBL itself is not entered in the fiscalization lists. Supreme Court Judgment 352/2019 restates the doctrine adopted by the Court’s plenary agreement of 13 December 2004: GBL is considered a substance that causes serious harm to health and must be taken into account under article 368 because it converts to scheduled GHB in the body. Article 368 criminalizes manufacture, trafficking, promotion or facilitation of illegal consumption, and possession for those purposes, with three to six years’ imprisonment and a fine of one to three times the drug’s value for substances causing serious harm.

Ukraine lists gamma-butyrolactone in Table III, List 2 of the national list of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors as a psychotropic substance whose circulation is restricted, with limited exceptions from some control measures. Production, manufacture, storage, transport, acquisition, sale, import, export, use, and destruction of Table II and III psychotropic substances are licensed activities, and products containing a listed substance require an import or export permit unless a note to the list excludes them. GBL was subject to Ukraine's controlled-substance production, import, and storage quotas no later than 1 October 2011. Since 2018, a narrow exception excludes GBL at concentrations not exceeding 15 percent when it is incorporated into a plant-protection product holding state registration.

Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) has been classified as a hälsofarlig vara (health-endangering substance) in Sweden since 1 September 2005 and remains listed in the appendix to Förordning (1999:58). Under Lag (1999:42), GBL may not without authorization be imported, transferred, manufactured, acquired for transfer, offered for sale, or possessed; authorization may be granted for scientific or industrial purposes. Intentional unauthorized transfer, manufacture, acquisition for transfer, sale offer, or possession is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to one year.