Many effective and widely prescribed medications produce narcotic and potentially fatal adverse effects. Pharmacists, other healthcare providers, and government and law enforcement officials must ensure patients with legitimate medical needs have access to those drugs while keeping people who would abuse the medications from getting them.

Dec 9, 2018 - Learn where benzodiazepines fall in the US classifications of controlled substances, and explore why these medications are Schedule IV. Jan 23, 2015 - Schedule 2 (II) drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, less abuse potential than Schedule 1 (I).

DEA Drug Schedules

Controlled substance schedules categorize drugs and chemicals according to their recognized health benefits, risks to users and likelihood for non-medical use. The federal Controlled Substances Act gives the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authority for maintaining a national drug schedule. Each state also has its own schedule.

What the Schedule Number Indicates

The DEA divides controlled substances into five categories of schedules, as outlined below:

• Schedule I — High abuse potential, significant risks, and no federally recognized medical use. Substances in Schedule I include marijuana, LSD, Spice (synthetic cannabis) and Ecstasy (MDMA, short for methylenedioxymethamphetamine).
• Schedule II ​— High abuse, dependence and addiction potential, along with common severe side effects. Schedule II includes opiates and opioids, including the narcotic painkillers fentanyl (e.g., Duragesic from Janssen) and OxyContin (extended-release oxycodone from Purdue Pharma); cocaine; and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications like Adderall (amphetamine from Shire) and Ritalin (methylphenidate from Novartis).
• Schedule III — Moderate likelihood for physical addiction but known high risks to health and potential for mental dependence. Schedule III includes some anabolic steroids, ketamine and low-dose combination narcotic analgesics such as Vicodin (acetaminophen and hydrocodone from Abbott Laboratories).
• Schedule IV — Limited abuse, dependence or addiction potential. Schedule IV includes sedatives such Xanax (alprazolam from Pfizer) and Valium (diazepam from Roche).

• Schedule V — Very low abuse potential and minor health risks despite containing small amounts of narcotics. Schedule V includes codeine cough syrups.

A complete and updated list of the schedules is published in the Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations on an annual basis.

How States Controlled Substance Schedules Differ

States often diverge from DEA rules and guidance on controlled substances. This can put pharmacists and patients at risk for federal prosecution, as often happens in states that permit medical use of marijuana.

On the other hand, states usually act ahead of the DEA to control drugs newly recognized as posing risks. Oregon made pseudoephedrine available by prescription only in order to curb illegal methamphetamine production years before any federal PSE control laws existed. In 2011, Virginia was among the first states to place Spice in Schedule I.

Regularly checking with the National Association of State Controlled Substances Authorities is a good way to stay current on state drug scheduling decisions and avoid any legal ramifications for pharmacists.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration License Required

Pharmacists and pharmacies that dispense controlled drugs must hold DEA licenses, as must doctors and nurses who prescribe the medications. No controlled drug prescription order should be filled or dispensed until a prescriber’s DEA number gets confirmed as valid. The DEA does not give pharmacist registration information to the general public.

Visit the agency’s website to get license application and renewal details, along with information on confirming prescribers’ numbers. Be aware that the state where you practice may impose additional requirements, particularly regarding medical marijuana.

This is the list of Schedule I drugs as defined by the United StatesControlled Substances Act.^[1] The following findings are required for drugs to be placed in this schedule:^[2]

1. The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
2. The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
3. There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Except as specifically authorized, it is illegal for any person:

1. to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled substance; or
2. to create, distribute, or dispense, or possess with intent to distribute or dispense, a counterfeit substance.^[3]

The complete list of Schedule I drugs follows.^[1] The Administrative Controlled Substances Code Number for each drug is included.

Opioids[edit]

Opium derivatives[edit]

Hallucinogenic or psychedelic substances[edit]

Depressants[edit]

Stimulants[edit]

Cannabimimetic agents[edit]

Temporary/emergency listings[edit]

These items are listed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to 21 CFR 1308.49.^[6][7]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^ab21 CFR1308.11 (CSA Sched I) with changes through 77 FR64032 (Oct 18, 2012). Retrieved September 6, 2013.
2. ^21 U.S.C.§ 812(b)(1)United States Code via Cornell University's Legal Information Institute. Retrieved on 2007-10-02.
3. ^Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) (22 Jan 2002). 'Title 21 — Food and Drugs Chapter 13 - Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Subchapter I — Control and Enforcement Part D — Offenses and Penalties: Sec. 841. Prohibited Acts A(a)'. Retrieved 23 Oct 2009.
4. ^Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2017). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of Acetyl Fentanyl into Schedule I. Final order'. Federal Register. 82 (108): 26349–51. PMID28591974.
5. ^https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-12-14/pdf/2016-29941.pdf
6. ^Code of Federal Regulations, 2012-04-01
7. ^The first 8 items in the temporary section of the schedule shown on the DEA website are not included here because they are duplicates of entries in the tables above. Presumably, this is because they were made permanent and copied there at some point, but inadvertently not deleted from this temporary listing section.
8. ^ ^abcdDrug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (Feb 10, 2014). 'Schedules of controlled substances: temporary placement of four synthetic cannabinoids into Schedule I. Final order'. Fed. Regist. 79 (27): 7577–7582. PMID24605391.
9. ^ ^abcDrug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2015). 'Schedules of controlled substances: Temporary placement of three synthetic cannabinoids into schedule I. Final order'. Federal Register. 80 (20): 5042–7. PMID25730924.
10. ^ ^abcDrug Enforcement Administration (2015). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Extension of Temporary Placement of Three Synthetic Phenethylamines in Schedule I. Final order'. Fed. Regist. 80 (219): 70657–9. PMID26567439.
11. ^'DEA Schedules Deadly Synthetic Drug U-47700'. November 10, 2016.
12. ^Drug Enforcement Administration (2015). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Acetyl Fentanyl Into Schedule I. Final order'. Fed. Regist. 80 (137): 42381–5. PMID26189217.
13. ^Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2016). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Furanyl Fentanyl Into Schedule I. Final order'. Fed. Regist. 81 (229): 85873–7. PMID27906535.
14. ^ ^abcdef'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Six Synthetic Cannabinoids (5F-ADB, 5F-AMB, 5F-APINACA, ADB-FUBINACA, MDMB-CHMICA and MDMB-FUBINACA) Into Schedule I'. Drug Enforcement Administration.
15. ^Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2017). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Acryl Fentanyl into Schedule I. Temporary scheduling order'. Federal Register. 82 (134): 32453–7. PMID28715161.
16. ^ ^abcDrug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2017). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of ortho-Fluorofentanyl, Tetrahydrofuranyl Fentanyl, and Methoxyacetyl Fentanyl into Schedule I. Temporary amendment; temporary scheduling order'. Federal Register. 82 (206): 49504–8. PMID29091366.
17. ^ ^abDrug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2016). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Butyryl Fentanyl and Beta-Hydroxythiofentanyl into Schedule I. Final order'. Federal Register. 81 (92): 29492–6. PMID27192733.
18. ^Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2017). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of 4-Fluoroisobutyryl Fentanyl into Schedule I. Temporary scheduling order'. Federal Register. 82 (84): 20544–8. PMID28497944.
19. ^Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2018). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Cyclopropyl Fentanyl in Schedule I. Temporary amendment; temporary scheduling order'. Federal Register. 83 (3): 469–72. PMID29319947.
20. ^Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2018). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Extension of Temporary Placement of MAB–CHMINACA in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. Temporary rule; temporary scheduling order; extension'. Federal Register. 83 (20): 4411–2. PMID29461023.
21. ^ ^abcdefgDrug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice (2018). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of Seven Fentanyl-Related Substances in Schedule I. Temporary amendment; temporary scheduling order'. Federal Register. 83 (22): 4580–5. PMID29932604.
22. ^Drug Enforecement Administration, Department of Justice (2018). 'Schedules of Controlled Substances:Temporary Placement of Fentanyl-Related Substances in Schedule I. Temporary amendment; temporary scheduling order'. Federal Register. 83 (25): 5188–92. PMID29932611.