A Brief Overview Of The Drug-Schedule System in The USA

All over the world, countless drugs are used for both medical and recreational purposes. These substances have effects on the mind and body, and as such, they must be properly controlled by governments. In the United States, these regulations first became concrete with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Within this Act, there were several rules and regulations relating to substance use and abuse, but most importantly, it outlined five separate drug classifications or “Schedules.” Depending on the amount of danger presented by the drugs, the rating will vary. These dangers are also considered in tandem to their accepted benefits.

There are all kinds of drugs circulating in the United States from prescription painkillers, over the counter allergy medications, to homeopathic remedies. As homeopathic remedies are not recognized as conventional medicine, they often do not fall into the drug Schedule system, and thus they are regulated differently. However, this does not mean that homeopathic remedies are not a valid form of treatment.

History Of The Act

Before the CSA was established in 1970, food and drugs were controlled by the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. This act included regulating addictive substances and is how the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) was formed. The FDA was established to protect consumers from harmful medicines and food, and thus the labeling of drugs listing addictive or dangerous substances was mandatory.

When the CSA of 1970 was first introduced there were two main priorities with a common goal of giving the government more control over the regulation of addictive and dangerous substances. The first mandate was to create five varying Schedules of drugs. These guidelines set out how each Schedule of drug was to be handled, administered, and regulated. The second mandate was to impose laws for the international export and import of these controlled substances. When the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) was established in 1973, it was the primary enforcer of the CSA. With the DEA, other government departments also help classify drugs, including the Health and Human Services, the FDA, and NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse).

The Five Schedules of the CSA

As not all addictive or dangerous substances are equally harmful, the US congress decided they must create Schedules to classify the drugs. The Schedules allow the drugs to be put into categories that consider their medical benefits and potential to be abused. As some of the most dangerous and addictive substances can be very therapeutic to some people suffering from illness, these schedules are instrumental in making sure that people get the drugs they need and that the addictive ones stay out of public circulation. Outlined below are the five different Schedules. The Schedules are in descending order as Schedule V is the least addictive with most benefits.

Schedule V

Drugs under Schedule V are challenging to abuse and have a widely accepted and practiced medical purpose throughout the United States. If these drugs were to be abused, the person would have a very low and limited psychological and physical dependence. Some examples of Schedule V drugs are Epidiolex derived from cannabis, Pyrovaleron, a stimulating substance that helps people with minor fatigue, and Codeine. This very common painkiller also helps treat excessive coughing.

Schedule IV

A drug will be put into Schedule IV if it is more likely to be abused than Schedule V drugs. They are also widely used as a medical treatment in the United States, and any abuse would not result in a significant addiction. Anti-anxiety medications like Valium and Xanax are Schedule IV substances.

Schedule III

Schedule III drugs can be abused, but less so than Schedule II and I. There are uses for these drugs for medical purposes in the US, but any abuse will lead to a low to moderate dependency physically and high dependence psychologically. You would be surprised to know that caffeine is a Schedule III drug, Vicodin and more substantial amounts of Codeine.

Schedule II

These drugs are very likely to be abused, and there are only minimal uses for it within the United States. Any use it does have is limited to a small portion of illness and conditions. If these are abused, someone will be highly dependent on it both physically and psychologically. Examples of these drugs are morphine, Percocet, OxyContin, and Adderall, a powerful stimulant.

Schedule I

Schedule I drugs are by far the most powerful and have the highest potential to be abused. Within the United States, there are no medical uses accepted, and any recreational or minor use is deemed unsafe. These are substances like LSD and heroin.

Schedule V-II are drugs you most likely have heard in conversation with medical usage. You may have friends or family members that use them, but when it comes to Schedule I, these are the illegal substances that can be extremely dangerous.

Where Does Kratom Stand?

When it comes to Kratom, many states like Indiana, Wisconsin, and Tennessee have banned Kratom; however, there is no ban for Kratom on a federal level. This lack of a federal ban means consumers can purchase Kratom in states where it is legal as long as it is from a reputable supplier no matter what Schedule of drug it is listed under.