Is xanax (alprazolam) a narcotic?

No: Xanax (alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine used to treat panic attacks and anxiety disorders. It is classified as a controlled substance by the feds.

Narcotic : Narcotic originally / still can refer to any psychoactive compound with sleep-inducing properties. It is imprecisely defined. It is associated with opiates e.g. Heroin. That is a illegal substances. Others include other drugs such as meth and cocaine. In a legal context , in the U.S., a narcotic drug is one that is totally prohibited. Ithink some people would classify benzo's/ streetusenarcotic.

Medically no: But legally yes. This results in some confusion at times.