Why 1SB-LSD and several tryptamines are now banned

1. Introduction – What was decided today and why it is important

With the Federal Council's decision of November 21, 2025, on the Sixth Ordinance Amending the Annex to the New Psychoactive Substances Act (NpSG), a further step is being taken in the regulation of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The existing annex to the NpSG is being revised, and several groups of substances are being expanded and clarified.

Particularly relevant for practical purposes:

• 1SB-LSD is included – along with other LSD derivatives – by the modified definition of the Δ⁹,¹⁰-ergolene group.

• NB-DMT and NB-5-MeO-MiPT will henceforth be treated as compounds covered by the annex due to their classification in the extended tryptamine group (indole-3-alkylamines).

The legislature is responding to a trend that has been developing for years: The market is constantly producing new, minimally modified versions of known molecules whose effects are very similar to the "original," but which do not formally fall under the existing substance groups. Today's amendment is intended to close precisely these "loophole derivatives"—with the aim of limiting misuse and facilitating prosecution.

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2. Chemical-structural background – why 1SB-LSD is now being recorded

2.1 Δ⁹,¹⁰‑Ergolene as the basic structure of LSD

LSD and its derivatives can be chemically traced back to a common scaffold: the Δ⁹,¹⁰-ergolene backbone. The annex to the NpSG defines a substance group for "compounds derived from Δ⁹,¹⁰-ergolene," which covers any compound with this backbone, provided that certain substitution rules are observed and a maximum molecular mass of 600 u is not exceeded.

At the N‑1 position of the ergoline nitrogen, a substituent R¹ is allowed, which is defined very broadly:

• R¹ may contain chain structures and ring structures linked via carbonyl, alkyloxycarbonyl or sulfonyl bridges,

• In addition to carbon and hydrogen, it can also contain nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, halogens and, explicitly, silicon,

• and it may contribute up to 300 u to the total mass.

This combination of a broad element selection, large allowed mass and flexible chain/ring structure is precisely designed to capture typical 1-substitution patterns of modern LSD prodrugs.

2.2 What does “1-substitution” mean?

In LSD derivatives, 1-substitution refers to the substitution at the nitrogen atom of the ergoline backbone (N-1). Classic examples are:

• 1‑Acyl‑LSD (e.g. 1P‑LSD, 1B‑LSD, 1cP‑LSD, etc.)

• 1‑Alkyloxycarbonyl‑LSD

• silylated variants such as 1S-LSD (1-silylated LSD)

Chemically, the LSD core remains largely intact. The modification is located at a position that can influence pharmacologically relevant properties such as lipophilicity, absorption, and prodrug behavior without "destroying" the basic structure itself. The regulation explicitly justifies the inclusion of silicon in R¹ with the increased occurrence of 1S-LSD and the need to detect LSD isomers and closely related derivatives.

2.3 Classification of 1SB-LSD

1SB-LSD is structurally a typical 1-substituted LSD derivative.
It can be simplified as an LSD backbone + 1-acyl/1-alkyloxycarbonyl substituent. Thus, 1SB-LSD fulfills precisely the requirements provided by the new definition of R¹ in the ergolene structure:

• R¹ may be bound to the ergoline nitrogen via a carbonyl or alkyloxycarbonyl group.

• The downstream chain or ring system may be substituted in many ways, as long as the mass limits are observed.

In other words, 1SB-LSD is not being banned as a "new individual substance," but as a special case of the now very broadly defined Δ⁹,1⁰-ergolene group of substances. The regulation explicitly aims to include isomers and 1-substitution derivatives in order to prevent circumvention via minimally modified LSD prodrugs.

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3. Tryptamine extensions – NB-DMT and NB-5-MeO-MiPT

3.1 Tryptamine-derived compounds (indole-3-alkylamines)

Substance group 5.1, “Indole-3-alkylamines,” covers “tryptamine-derived compounds” with an indole ring and an alkylamine side chain at the 3-position. The regulation defines a basic structure and permits a variety of substituents at positions R¹ to R⁵ and Rⁿ:

• R¹/R² (am amine): Hydrogen, alkyl (up to C6), cycloalkyl, cycloalkylmethyl, allyl as well as alkyloxycarbonyl, alkylthiocarbonyl and alkylcarbamoyl groups, whereby cyclic systems such as pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl or morpholinyl are also permitted.

• Rⁿ (on the indole ring, positions 4–7): including halogens, alkyl, alkoxy, methoxy, trialkylsilyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, acetoxy, hydroxy and a methylenedioxy bridge.

3.2 NB-DMT

NB-DMT generally refers to a tryptamine derivative based on the DMT backbone and additionally bearing an N-substituent (NB-) – depending on the variant, e.g., N-benzyl or a carbamate protecting group. From a chemical perspective, it is still an indole-3-alkylamine in which:

• the side chain has the typical N,N-dimethyl-substituted amino group ,

• and an additional substituent family (e.g. alkyloxycarbonyl / carbamate) is attached to the nitrogen R¹/R² .

Due to the extension of R¹/R² by alkyloxycarbonyl and other protecting groups, NB-DMT falls into the tryptamine substance group 5.1 according to the prevailing interpretation, provided that the molecular mass remains below the limit of 500 u. 

3.3 NB-5-MeO-MiPT

NB-5-MeO-MiPT combines several known structural motifs:

• an indole ring with 5-methoxy substitution (5-MeO),

• an N‑methyl‑N‑isopropyl‑ethylamine side chain (MiPT motif),

• plus an additional N-substitution (NB-) , e.g. via a carbamate or related protecting group.

Functionally, this is once again a tryptamine skeleton with:

• typical indole-3-alkylamine core structure,

• allowed substitutions at R¹/R² (alkyl + possibly alkyloxycarbonyl / carbamate),

• a 5-methoxy substitution, which is also expressly permitted via Rⁿ (alkoxy groups). 

From the perspective of substance group logic, NB-5-MeO-MiPT is thus a classic example of what the legislator wanted to achieve with the update of the tryptamine definition :

Structurally closely related tryptamine analogues with protecting groups or additional N-substitutions should no longer be excluded from the NpSG simply because they deviate minimally from known patterns.

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4. The legislative process – how a draft becomes a ban

The regulation adopted today is a statutory instrument based on Section 7 of the NpSG , specifically the “Sixth Regulation amending the Annex to the NpSG” (BR-Drs. 534/25). 

The process can be roughly divided into four steps:

1. Preparation at the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG)

The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) is preparing a draft document in which the substance groups are formulated in technical-chemical terms. Expert committees and specialists (e.g., from toxicology, forensics, and law) are being involved. 

2. Federal Council procedure

The draft is forwarded to the Federal Council as a Federal Council document (here: 534/25), committees deliberate, and amendments may be proposed. Finally, the full Federal Council votes on the regulation. 

3. Publication in the Federal Law Gazette

After approval by the Federal Council, the regulation is drawn up by the responsible Federal Ministry and published in the Federal Law Gazette .

4. Entry into force

The regulation usually contains a clause such as "enters into force on the day following its promulgation." This means that it only becomes legally effective upon publication in the Federal Law Gazette , not upon the Federal Council's decision itself. 

For today's ban, this means:

The changes to the substance groups have been decided , but they will only become legally effective once the text is officially published in the Federal Law Gazette – from this point on, the NpSG ban will apply to the new derivatives.

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5. Legal consequences – what exactly is prohibited and what is not?

The NpSG is not a second BtMG , but pursues a slightly different approach:

• Section 3 of the NpSG contains an administrative prohibition on dealing with the NPS covered by the annex (production, trade, distribution, etc.).

• Section 4 of the NpSG criminalizes certain violations of this prohibition (including trading, placing on the market, administering, manufacturing and transporting for the purpose of placing on the market). 

The boundary line regarding ownership is important :

• The private possession of NpSG substances is – unlike the BtMG – not a criminal offense .

• The prohibition is directed against traffic-related handling (production, storage for distribution, shipping, trade, commercial delivery, etc.). 

For 1SB-LSD, NB-DMT and NB-5-MeO-MiPT, this means specifically:

Once this law comes into effect , it will be prohibited to use these substances.

• to produce,

• to place on the market in Germany,

• to trade or distribute as a commodity,

• to import for the purpose of placing on the market.

• Possession of samples lawfully acquired before the law came into effect remains not a criminal offense , but may – depending on the context – still raise legal questions in individual cases (e.g. in the case of commercially oriented storage).

The legislator formulates it in such a way that the traffic ban is extended to all substances that fall under the updated substance groups, and that this particularly facilitates the prosecution of illicit trade. 

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6. Summary and Outlook

With today's decision on the 6th NpSG Plant Ordinance, the legislator is consistently continuing the group-based regulatory approach:

• The LSD substance group (Δ⁹,¹⁰‑ergolene) is extended so that 1-substituted derivatives such as 1SB-LSD will be clearly included in the future.

• The tryptamine class of substances (indole-3-alkylamines) is specified more precisely and supplemented with protecting group variants, so that NB-DMT and NB-5-MeO-MiPT fall under the new definition due to their structural similarity to regulated tryptamines. 

• The Federal Council's decision is the key point , but the actual legal effect only takes effect on the day after its publication in the Federal Law Gazette .

For research, the scene and trade , this means:

• Research and reference materials based on these structures will no longer be regularly available on the market in the future, provided they fall under the NpSG substance groups.

• Reputable suppliers will have to cease distribution upon the entry into force of the law and – if legally possible – concentrate on unregulated, legal research chemicals .

• For scientific research on these substances, greater reliance will be placed on approved research institutions and, if necessary, BtMG-based exemptions.

At the same time, it is foreseeable that the market – as in the past – will continue to move towards new, previously unregulated structures. However, today's regulation clearly demonstrates that the legislator is prepared to dynamically refine substance groups as soon as new structures exhibit a similar risk profile to known NPS.

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Note : This article provides technical information and does not constitute legal advice. Only the official versions of the NpSG (New Psychoactive Substances Act) and the associated regulations as published in the Federal Law Gazette are authoritative.