Addiction Drug Use What Is a Controlled Substance? By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial process Updated on February 04, 2021 Medically reviewed by John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE Medically reviewed by John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE on August 29, 2020 John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. He is the medical director at Alcohol Recovery Medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Moussa81 / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Schedule 1 Drugs Schedule 2 Drugs Schedule 3 Drugs Schedule 4 Drugs Schedule 5 Drugs If Your Doctor Prescribes a Controlled Substance Controlled substances are illegal or prescription drugs regulated by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in the United States. Recognizing the potential that certain medications have for abuse and dependence, Congress enacted the CSA as part of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. This act categorizes all substances that are regulated under federal law into “schedules,” depending on how potentially dangerous they are. The schedule the drug is placed under depends on its medical use, its potential for abuse, and its safety or how easily people become dependent on it. Careful consideration has gone into this categorization. The control of drugs through law exists to protect people from the harm that these drugs can do. It is based on research from many different sources into the potential harmfulness of the drug, both to individuals and to society. The five “schedules” of drugs should not be confused with the five “classes” of drugs, a different way of organizing drugs according to their main properties. The five classes of drugs are narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and anabolic steroids. The Many Potential Legal Ramifications for Using Drugs Schedule 1 Drugs Schedule I drugs (the law uses Roman numerals one through five) have a high potential for abuse. They currently have no federally accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S., and there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or substance under medical supervision. Examples of Schedule I substances include: Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) Heroin Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) Methaqualone Marijuana is the only Schedule I drug that is legal for medicinal and recreational uses in many states. However, many experts believe the drug's status should be changed to allow for more comprehensive studies to determine the medical benefits of marijuana. Schedule 2 Drugs Schedule II drugs and substances also have a high potential for abuse. They differ from Schedule I drugs in that they do have a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S. or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. Examples of Schedule II substances include: Cocaine Methadone Methamphetamine Morphine Phencyclidine (PCP) Abuse of schedule II drugs may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Schedule 3 Drugs Schedule III drugs and substances have less potential for abuse than the drugs or substances in Schedules I and II. They have a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the U.S. Abuse of the drug or substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence. Examples of Schedule III substances include: Anabolic steroids Barbiturates Codeine Hydrocodone with aspirin or Tylenol Schedule 4 Drugs These drugs and substances have a low potential for abuse relative to those in Schedule III. The drug or substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III. Examples of Schedule IV substances include: Darvon Equanil Talwin Valium Xanax Schedule 5 Drugs The drug or substance has a low potential for abuse relative to those in Schedule IV. The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule IV. Examples of Schedule V drugs include cough medicines with codeine. If Your Doctor Prescribes a Controlled Substance While not all prescription drugs are controlled, there are several (for example, opioid pain medications) that do fall under the category of controlled substances. If your doctor prescribes one of these drugs, it's essential that you only take it as directed. In addition to having limited refills, you may need to sign a pain medication agreement, or a contract between you and the doctor to ensure that you're taking the drugs exactly as prescribed. While the details may vary from doctor to doctor, the agreement may also ask you to agree to: Get your prescription from only one pharmacyNot request or take pain medications from another providerSubmit to random drug testing If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Is It Actually Illegal to Use Drugs Without a Prescription? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? 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