Is Xylazine Illegal in Pennsylvania? Schedule III and Penalties

Yes, xylazine is illegal in Pennsylvania without a prescription or professional license. The state classifies xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance, so simple possession is a misdemeanor and manufacturing or delivering the drug is a felony under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.

What the Schedule III Classification Means

Pennsylvania added xylazine to Schedule III through an emergency Department of Health order in 2023 and made the change permanent when Governor Josh Shapiro signed Act 2024-17 on May 15, 2024. The law lists xylazine and all of its known metabolites.¹

Schedule III covers substances with an accepted medical use and a potential for abuse that can lead to moderate physical dependence or high psychological dependence. For xylazine, the accepted use is veterinary: it is the only sedative approved as safe and effective for cattle and is also used on other livestock, zoo animals, and wildlife.² Anyone outside that lawful channel who holds, buys, or sells xylazine is committing a crime under state law.

Penalties for Possessing Xylazine

Possessing xylazine without a valid prescription or license violates Section 13(a)(16) of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. The offense is a misdemeanor. A first conviction carries up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.³

A second or subsequent possession conviction raises the exposure sharply: up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.³ Anyone already carrying one drug conviction should treat a new possession charge as a very different kind of case than the first.

Penalties for Manufacturing or Delivering Xylazine

Manufacturing, delivering, or possessing xylazine with intent to deliver is a felony under Section 13(a)(30). Because xylazine is a Schedule III substance, a conviction carries a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.³ Prosecutors typically point to larger quantities, packaging materials, scales, or significant cash to argue intent to deliver rather than personal use.

The stakes climb again inside a school zone. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6317, anyone 18 or older who commits a drug offense within 1,000 feet of a school faces enhanced sentencing on top of the base penalty.⁴ The enhancement reaches delivery and possession-with-intent charges but not simple possession for personal use.

Calling 911 During an Overdose: Good Samaritan Immunity

Pennsylvania gives limited immunity from certain drug charges to people who seek medical help during an overdose. Under 35 P.S. § 780-113.7, you qualify for the protection if you meet all three conditions: you reported the overdose in good faith because you reasonably believed the person needed immediate medical attention, you provided your real name and location and cooperated with responders, and you stayed with the person until help arrived.³

The immunity covers simple possession, paraphernalia violations, and certain other offenses listed in the statute, and the person who overdosed is also protected if the caller qualifies. It does not shield anyone from delivery or distribution charges, and it does not apply if police had already learned about the drug activity through other means before the call for help.

Fentanyl and Xylazine Test Strips Are Legal

Act 111 of 2022 removed drug-checking tools from Pennsylvania’s definition of drug paraphernalia. The amended statute excludes “testing products utilized in determining whether a controlled substance contains chemicals, toxic substances or hazardous compounds in quantities which can cause physical harm or death,” and names fentanyl test strips as an example.³

You cannot be charged with a paraphernalia offense in Pennsylvania for carrying strips designed to detect xylazine, fentanyl, or other dangerous adulterants. The exclusion covers any testing product whose purpose is identifying harmful contaminants, not only fentanyl-specific strips. The strips typically cost between $2 and $9 each and are distributed by harm-reduction organizations and some pharmacies.

Why State Law Is What Matters Right Now

Xylazine is not a federally scheduled substance as of mid-2026. The DEA has said that gap keeps it from monitoring imports and exports of xylazine or tracking how much is being diverted from legitimate channels into the illicit supply.²⁵⁶ Until federal scheduling takes effect, Pennsylvania’s state-level criminal penalties are the ones that actually apply to possession and distribution inside the commonwealth.

The Veterinary Exception

The scheduling does not stop veterinarians from using xylazine in their practices. It does require them to store the drug in a secured, locked location under the Pharmacy Act’s security provisions and to keep detailed records of each transaction, including the date of receipt, quantity, supplier, the animal treated, and the dosage used.³ A discrepancy between purchased supply and recorded usage can trigger a compliance investigation. For anyone without that professional authorization, there is no lawful way to possess xylazine in Pennsylvania.

1
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Act 2024-17 – Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act – Schedules
2
Drug Enforcement Administration. Xylazine Information
3
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code – Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act
4
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 Section 6317 – Drug-Free School Zones
5
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Judiciary Committee Advances Bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act
6
Congress.gov. S.545 – Combating Illicit Xylazine Act