GHB

GHB became a federal controlled substance in 2000. GHB is gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (4-hydroxybutanoic acid; gamma-hydroxybutyrate; oxybate), including its salts, isomers and salts of isomers. NIH PubChem CID 10413 identifies the acid as C4H8O3, 4-hydroxybutanoic acid, with connectivity SMILES C(CC(=O)O)CO; PubChem synonyms include GHB, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, oxybate, sodium gamma-hydroxybutyrate and CAS RN 591-81-1. The current federal rule lists gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and these names under Schedule I (DEA code 2010). Non-approved GHB is Schedule I, while a distinct product-specific exception places any FDA-approved drug product containing GHB, including its salts, isomers and salts of isomers, in Schedule III (DEA code 2012) and makes it prescription-only. The August 2026 DEA Orange Book identifies Xyrem as the Schedule III product example. FDA Drugs@FDA data identifies XYREM/SODIUM OXYBATE (NDA 021196) as an approved prescription product. The Schedule III classification is product-specific and does not make bulk, illicit or otherwise unauthorized GHB lawful. 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(C) expressly includes GHB even when scheduled as an approved drug product in its GHB penalty clause, so the Schedule III medical exception does not eliminate criminal controls. Section 844(a)'s prescription and authorization language applies to simple possession. The penalty descriptions are statutory federal maximums, minimums, and conditional enhancements, not a sentence prediction. DEA's final scheduling rule took effect on March 13, 2000.

GHB became controlled in 2003. It was rescheduled from MDR Schedule 4 to Schedule 2 on 7 January 2015 and reclassified from MDA Class C to Class B on 13 April 2022. GHB is therefore Class B under MDA Schedule 2 Part II and Schedule 2 under MDR. Ordinary unauthorized possession, production, supply and possession with intent to supply are prohibited, subject to Schedule 2 healthcare access and the Act's licensing and regulatory exceptions. Penalties are statutory maxima, not sentencing outcomes; actual charges and sentences depend on the conduct, mode of trial and facts.