Any discussion on narcotics, prescription drugs, or other controlled substances is usually peppered with the word schedule. One substance may be Schedule I, while another is Schedule II, III, or IV. For an individual who is not familiar with controlled substances, the word may simply pass through the conversation without a second glance. To those who understand the drug industry, however, these phrases are paramount to understanding the type of substance being discussed. These terms are called drug classifications.
Per the (DEA), medical professionals and law enforcement officials use drug classifications to delineate a substance’s legality, based on “the drug’s acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential.” Simply put, classifications help to categorize current and developing drugs, which in turn helps lawmakers, law enforcers, and medical experts understand how best to handle a particular substance. In this way, scheduling narcotics, prescription medications, and other drugs makes the industry safer for everyone. A History of the CSA Drug classifications have officially been in place since the 1970s, when President Nixon signed the (CSA) into law. However, the CSA is merely a chapter in the United States’ long and complicated history with addictive substances.
The US has been striving to safely and effectively control drug use since the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. This act required food and drug manufactures to clearly label any product that contains dangerous substances – substances that included alcohol, morphine, opium, and cannabis. The act was amended numerous times over the six decades that followed, but the greatest change took effect in the early 1970s with the CSA. A companion to Nixon’s War on Drugs, the Controlled Substances Act gave the DEA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the power to determine which substances are fit for medical use. The Classifications The drugs that are considered the most dangerous by the DEA are known as Schedule I substances. These are drugs with no current medical use, per analysis by the DEA and FDA. These substances also carry a high potential for abuse and addiction.