Before 1970, the U.S. had many federal drug policies that oversaw the use of narcotics and other substances. The Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act sought to redefine and replace earlier laws with the inclusion of Title II, the Controlled Substance Act (CSA). The CSA intends to create a comprehensive classification for drugs.
Drugs are placed into categorizations called schedules. There are five drug schedules in all. Here is what you should know:
What are drug schedules?
Drugs and other substances are placed into schedules based on their potential for abuse. Many lower-scheduled drugs can be purchased in stores, obtained with the use of doctor’s prescriptions or used in hospitals by authorized providers.
For example, many people can purchase cough medicine at most convenience stores. However, substances such as steroids and testosterone often have very limited accessibility and may be used in hospitals or obtained with prescriptions because they pose a higher threat of addiction or abuse.
If a substance is more likely going to cause addiction and abuse, it may be categorized as a higher schedule, which limits its uses. Substances such as peyote and heroin are high-scheduled. When a drug has a high schedule, it has very limited uses and may not be legally manufactured or distributed.
Drug schedules have multiple other purposes. One such use for defining a drug’s schedule is during a criminal trial. A drug’s schedule can have great implications for criminal cases that involve drug possession and trafficking. Higher-scheduled drugs can lead to severe criminal charges. Legal guidance can help create a defense for those facing drug possession charges.