Legal Update: NpSG, 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET

The legal framework governing new psychoactive substances in Germany continues to evolve. Assessing a substance solely under the New Psychoactive Substances Act (NpSG) is not always sufficient. A recent decision by the Cologne Administrative Court concerning 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET demonstrates that other areas of law – particularly European food legislation – may additionally affect whether a specific product can legally be placed on the market.

⚖️ Current Status of the NpSG

The New Psychoactive Substances Act (NpSG) regulates new psychoactive substances in Germany primarily through the substance groups defined in Annex 1. This structure allows numerous chemically or structurally related compounds to be covered without individually listing every substance by name.

The Sixth Regulation Amending the Annex to the NpSG of 26 November 2025 once again modified and expanded the existing substance-group definitions.

At the beginning of 2026, the structure of the NpSG was further expanded. The legislation now distinguishes in particular between substance groups contained in Annex 1 and certain substances or preparations listed in Annex 2. The current version of the NpSG published by Gesetze im Internet should therefore always be consulted for an up-to-date assessment.

🧪 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET

A particularly noteworthy development currently concerns 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET. In 2026, the Cologne Administrative Court considered whether the commercial distribution of corresponding products could be prohibited.

A central aspect of the decision is the court's finding that 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET, due to their specific molecular structures, were not covered by the current version of the NpSG.

At the same time, the decision demonstrates an important feature of the German and European regulatory system: the fact that a substance does not fall within the NpSG does not automatically mean that every product manufactured from that substance may be placed on the market without further regulatory requirements.

🚫 Cologne Administrative Court: Issue Concerning Tablets and Pellets

In its decision of 29 June 2026 (Case No. 1 L 1267/26), the Cologne Administrative Court considered the commercial distribution of 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET in tablet form.

Comparable compressed units are also frequently referred to commercially as pellets. The published information concerning the court decision itself uses the term tablet form. References to tablets or pellets in this article therefore describe this comparable solid dosage format and should not be understood as a statement that the court expressly assessed every possible product marketed under the term “pellet”.

Although the court did not consider 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET to be covered by the current NpSG, it nevertheless considered the specific distribution examined in the proceedings to be prohibited.

The legal basis was not the NpSG, but the European Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods.

According to the published reasoning, the specific dosage form was particularly relevant. From the perspective of an objective observer, the tablet format suggested intended consumption. The psychoactive properties of the substances did not, according to the court, automatically exclude classification under food legislation.

As the products concerned did not have the required Novel Food authorisation, the specific products considered in the proceedings could not legally be placed on the market.

🔬 NpSG Status and Marketability Are Different Questions

The decision is particularly relevant because it separates two different regulatory questions:

Is the substance covered by the NpSG?
May a specific product containing the substance be placed on the market in its particular form and presentation?

Regarding 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET, the court found in the specific proceedings that the substances were not covered by the current NpSG. However, the assessment of the marketability of the specific tablets or comparable pellet formats differed due to Novel Food legislation.

Depending on the substance, composition, dosage form, labelling, presentation and objectively apparent intended purpose, additional requirements arising from food law, pharmaceutical law and chemicals legislation may therefore become relevant.

📄 What Does This Mean for Blotters?

An important distinction must also be made regarding dosage forms. According to the published information, the Cologne Administrative Court decision specifically concerned 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET in tablet form.

The decision therefore does not establish a general judicial finding that every conceivable dosage form of 1Fe-LSD or 4-PrO-MET is prohibited under Novel Food legislation. In particular, the decision did not generally determine the legal status of blotters.

Conversely, this also does not mean that the decision automatically confirms the marketability of blotters. A different dosage form requires its own regulatory assessment based on its specific characteristics, labelling and marketing.

At Remicals.de, 1Fe-LSD is planned as a blotter product rather than as a compressed pellet. Further information regarding the planned product and its specifications is available directly on the corresponding product page.

📦 Impact on the Remicals.de Product Range

At Remicals.de, we take this distinction into account when managing our product range.

Our currently available pellet products exclusively concern 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) Pellets, MGM-15 Pellets and Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl Pellets.

The Cologne Administrative Court decision specifically concerns 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET and therefore does not constitute a general judicial statement concerning all chemical substances offered in pellet form. Our existing 7-OH Pellets, MGM-15 Pellets and Pseudoindoxyl Pellets are therefore not directly covered by the specific court decision concerning 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET.

At Remicals.de, we are planning to offer 1Fe-LSD as blotters rather than pellets. Further information about the planned product and its specifications can be found on our 1Fe-LSD Blotter product page.

Before introducing a product to the market, we take current regulatory developments into account and review the respective products and dosage forms accordingly. This includes the Cologne Administrative Court decision as well as future amendments to the NpSG and other applicable regulatory requirements.

📢 Our Approach to Regulatory Changes

The research chemicals market operates within a continuously evolving regulatory environment. We therefore monitor amendments to the NpSG as well as relevant regulatory and judicial developments.

Products whose marketability can no longer be sufficiently established due to legislative changes or relevant new legal assessments are reviewed and, where necessary, adjusted or removed from our product range.

The current developments concerning 1Fe-LSD and 4-PrO-MET clearly demonstrate that “not covered by the NpSG” cannot automatically be equated with “unrestricted marketability”.

🔗 Sources and Further Information

Last updated: August 2026. This article is provided solely for general information regarding current regulatory developments and does not constitute legal advice. Legislation, regulatory assessments and case law may change. The legal assessment of a specific product depends in particular on the substance, dosage form, composition, labelling, presentation and other circumstances of the individual case.