Drug Classes

The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) Regulates Five Classes Of Drugs:

Knowledge of Drug Classes Can Help You In Passing Drug Test s.  Each of these class of drugs has distinguishing properties and drugs within each class often produce similar effects.

The five “schedules” of drugs, detailed below is a different way of organizing drugs according to their main properties. The five classes of drugs are narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and anabolic steroids.

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.

Schedule I Drugs -- High Abuse Potential, No Medical Use, Unsafe.

Schedule I drugs or substances have a high potential for abuse. They have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Examples of Schedule I substances include heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana, and methaqualone.

Schedule II Drugs – High Abuse Potential, Medical Use, Severe Dependence.

Schedule II drugs or other substance 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 United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. Abuse of schedule II drugs may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

Examples of Schedule II substances include morphine, phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, methadone, and methamphetamine.

Schedule III Drugs – Lower Abuse Potential, Medical Use, Moderate or Low Dependence.

Schedule III drugs or other substances have less potential for abuse than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II. They have a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.

Examples of Schedule III substances include anabolic steroids, codeine and hydrocodone with aspirin or Tylenol®, and some barbiturates.

Schedule IV Drugs – Relatively Low Abuse Potential, Medical Use, Limited Dependence.

The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in Schedule III. The drug or other 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 drugs included in schedule IV are Darvon®, Talwin®, Equanil®, Valium, and Xanax. Schedule V Drugs -- Relatively Lower Abuse Potential, Medical Use, Limited Dependence Risk The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances 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 are cough medicines with codeine. More details of drugs, their effects, and which schedule they belong to are available on this chart from the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

Drug Classes