Understanding Drug Scheduling
In 1970, Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act (commonly known as the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) was signed into law under the Nixon administration. The law divided controlled substances into five categories (or schedules) based upon the drug’s acceptable medical usage and its potential for abuse or addiction. Schedule 1 drugs are considered to have the most significant potential for abuse and the least medicinal value; whereas Schedule V drugs are believed to have the least potential for abuse and most acceptable medical usage. Both the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determine how these drugs are to be scheduled based on these factors. This article will explain the differences between these schedules and give examples of each, in addition to pointing out flaws to this system.
Schedule I
Schedule I drugs are those that have the following characteristic according to the United States DEA:
1. The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
2. The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical treatment use in the U.S.
3. It has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.
Under federal law, no prescriptions may be written for Schedule I drugs and they are not readily available for clinical use. Examples of Schedule I drugs include heroin, LSD, Ecstasy (MDMA), psylocibin (magic mushrooms) and cannabis. Even though cannabis remains a Schedule I drug, a majority of states have now legalized cannabis in some form, whether it be medicinal or recreational. Because of this, there has been a huge demand to reschedule (if not de-schedule) cannabis on a national level, but so far, the DEA has refused to do so. Likewise, there has been a strong push to de-schedule and legalize psilocybin mushrooms, but so far only a handful of cities and the state of Oregon have done so.
Schedule II
Like Schedule I, Schedule II drugs have a high potential for abuse and dependency (both psychological and physical). However, unlike Schedule I drugs, these drugs have a currently accepted medical usage but with severe restrictions.
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Examples of Schedule II drugs include cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), oxycodone (OxyContin) and fentanyl. Interesting to note is that many of these drugs (such as cocaine and oxycodone) are far more addictive and dangerous than some Schedule I drugs such as cannabis and psylocibin, but the DEA has so far refused to reschedule them.
Schedule III
Schedule III drugs have a low to moderate potential for abuse and/or addiction, but are less dangerous than Schedule I or II. These drugs can be obtained through prescription, but generally are not available over the counter. Examples include anabolic steroids, Ketamine and hydrocodone products mixed with aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Schedule IV
Schedule IV drugs have a lower potential for abuse dependency compared to Schedule III drugs. In addition, it has a currently accepted medical use. Examples of Schedule IV drugs include: alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium) and zolpidem (Ambien).
Schedule V
Finally, Schedule V drugs are considered to have the lowest potential for abuse and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics. Examples of these include cough suppressants and cold medicines.
While the CSA and drug scheduling enables the government to regulate and limit the distribution of potentially harmful and addictive substances, it also limits our ability to study the full potential of some Schedule I drugs (such as cannabis and psylocibin) which have shown to be far less harmful and addictive than previously believed. All the more reason why the current system for scheduling drugs should be re-examined and revised.
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