I have witnessed the devastating impact of opioid use disorder firsthand. I've lost cherished friends, watched their lives slip away, and struggled with the heartache and depression that follow such immeasurable loss. It's infuriating to learn that there are promising alternatives that have the potential to save lives and provide hope to thousands battling the same disorder.

We are calling on policymakers to oppose the DEA’s scheduling of SR-17018, a potentially paradigm-shifting molecule. SR-17018 is a biased agonist with a unique action at the mu-opioid receptor, which creates potent painkilling effects without the development of tolerance and therefore the need for dose escalation that is seen in other opiates and opioids. The implications of these properties for pain management and addiction treatment alike are profound. 

The SR-17018 Prohibition Prevention Coalition strongly objects to the scheduling of SR-17018 due to concerns centered upon:

Scientific research, as there are severe limitations imposed upon scientific and medical research into substances classified as Schedule I under the CSA.

Unconstitutional overreach of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Public health harms resulting from prohibition.
 
Placing SR-17018 into Schedule I will force consumers to seek other, potentially more hazardous, opioidergic compounds. Prohibition does not eliminate drug markets, but rather pushes them underground where regulation, product testing, or labeling standards are not required. Combined with the United States’ limited funding of harm reduction measures, the scheduling of SR-17018 presents a grave threat to the safety, freedoms, and livelihood of citizens. Many scientists currently use SR-17018 in the laboratory setting to study behavioral mechanisms influenced by mu-opioid-receptor agonism, which is vital for the understanding of pathways involved in chronic pain and dependence / addiction, which possess a high global prevalence rate. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) continues to prioritize prohibition over evidence-based policy – using punitive measures rather than scientifically grounded public health initiatives. The SR-17018 Prohibition Prevention Coalition recognizes the unconstitutional nature of this emergency scheduling of SR17018, an executive measure that will impact the public at large, potentially profoundly, without providing adequate opportunity for public input. 

This is one important battle in a wider fight against the War on Drugs - specifically, the DEA’s overreach in scheduling substances, which is frequently misused, does not stand up to scientific scrutiny, and is not subject to meaningful review. Please express your support by signing and sharing this petition and help protect SR17018.

 Stand with us in the fight for hope and recovery.