In a January 16, 2025 notice published in the U.S. Federal Register, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that Fentanyl and Norfentanyl have been added to the list of Schedule I and II drugs authorized for testing in Federal workplace drug testing programs. The change is effective July 7, 2025.
Norfentanyl is a component of Fentanyl and its detection in specimens indicates Fentanyl use. In a study considered by HHS for the ruling, including Norfentanyl in the testing increased the number of positive specimens by 42% over testing for Fentanyl alone.
The HHS list is the source for drug testing programs administered by the DOT, including the FMCSA program used in trucking. The drugs will be added to the panel tested by urinalysis and by oral fluid testing. Oral fluid testing is still on hold until the lab certification process is completed, which is expected to occur by the July 7 effective date of the HHS announcement.
In the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, Fentanyl was specified to be added to the list of controlled substances. The January 16 action by HHS adds the drug to Federal testing programs.
The SUPPORT Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on October 24, 2018, required the Secretary of HHS to determine if revised Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs to include testing for Fentanyl were justified.
Included in the HHS announcement was the removal of Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) from the Schedule. The notice said these drugs were removed from testing because the low number of positive specimens by laboratories did not support continued testing for them.
Other changes include revised abbreviations for marijuana test analytes to bring them in line with current scientific nomenclature. In one example, the department has been using “THC” to note the substance ∆-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which will now be identified with the abbreviation “∆9THC.” While items such as abbreviations might seem like minutiae to the average person being tested, it’s important for testing forms and procedures to be standard for all.
The changes to drug Schedules were proposed by the Drug Testing Advisory Board (DTAB) and published in the Federal Register on November 17, 2023. 176 comments were submitted for consideration before the recent announcement. The notice includes recommended initial and confirmatory cutoff levels for each listed drug.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It is prescribed legally for treating severe pain. Illegally made Fentanyl is of questionable potency and is often added to heroin, cocaine and other street drugs. According to the CDC, nearly 74,000 drug overdose deaths in 2022 involved synthetic opioids other than methadone, an increase of 5% over the previous year.
Even when legally prescribed, use by anyone performing safety sensitive functions is prohibited by regulations. Soon, testing will help identify abusers.
Fentanyl test strips that help identify the presence of the drug are available at Amazon and other retailers, local health departments, syringe-exchange programs and elsewhere.
More information about the Federal drug testing program including assistance for substance abuse disorders is available at samhsa.gov/. A free, confidential treatment referral and information line is available 24/7, 365 days a year at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
