China's drug watchdog, the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), announced on Thursday that 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC) will be listed as the a class one psychotropic drug substance beginning on September 1, 2010.

The substance, 4-MMC, is a psychoactive stimulant. The circular issued by SFDA, on its official website, notes that the regulation has been adopted because there have been some cases of 4-MMC abuse in other countries, and China seeks to prevent such abuses from occurring within the country.

The SFDA said that no companies or individuals are permitted to be involved in 4-MMC related research or business without official permission.

4-MMC has never been sold on the Chinese drug market.

(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2010)