The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) maintains a drug scheduling system that classifies drugs based on their potential for abuse. The DEA also considers how a drug affects the human body and whether it poses an addiction risk. Practitioners, researchers, manufacturers, and distributors must adhere to strict regulations in order to sell, buy or handle these substances.
If you’re unfamiliar with the DEA’s Controlled Substances Act (CSA), you may have heard about controlled substances such as “scheduled” drugs or drugs with a high potential for addiction. But what do these terms mean? How are drugs classified under the CSA? What do these restrictions mean for individuals who use medications responsibly and those who seek recovery from substance use disorders? Let’s look at the DEA’s drug scheduling system and its implications.