At the request of Attorney General Russell Coleman Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the emergency classification of bromazolam as a schedule 1 controlled substance. The dangerous, unregulated drug, which is commonly known as “designer “Xanax,” has been tied to a growing number of fatal overdoses nationwide, including 48 in Kentucky last year.

The new designation, which takes effect immediately, criminalizes the sale and possession of bromazolam in the commonwealth and gives police and prosecutors clearer authority to pursue cases.

“Team Kentucky has made important progress in our fight against addiction, with three-straight years of declines in overdose deaths, and we’re committed to ensuring that work continues,” Beshear said in a press release from his office. “This deadly drug has

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