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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Health Aff (Millwood). 2013 Feb 13;32(3):10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0945. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0945

Exhibit 2.

DEA Schedules For Controlled Substances

Schedule Description Examples
I Drugs or other substances with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use in the U.S. They lack accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
II Drugs with high potential for abuse, but that have an accepted medical use in the U.S. Abuse may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Morphine, oxycodone, methadone, cocaine, amphetamine-related drugs, some barbiturates
III Drugs with less potential for abuse than Schedule I or II and an accepted medical use in the U.S. Abuse may lead to moderate or low physical and high psychological dependence. Certain opioids, especially hydrocodone or codeine in combination with acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (eg, Vicodin, Tylenol 3), tramadol, buprenorphine; anabolic steroids
IV Drugs with low potential for abuse relative to those in Schedule III and that have an accepted medical use in the U.S. Abuse may lead to more limited physical or psychological dependence those in Schedule III. benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium); hypnotics such as zolpidem (Ambien)
V Drugs or other substances with low potential for abuse relative to Schedule IV; and have an accepted medical use. Abuse may lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to those in Schedule IV. cough preparations with small amounts of codeine; anti-diarrheal medications with opioid components

SOURCE Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration. Definition of controlled substance schedules [Internet]. Washington (DC): US Department of Justice; [cited 2013 Jan 17]. Available from: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/index.html#define

NOTE A controlled substance is placed in its respective schedule based on whether it has a currently accepted medical use in the United States and its relative abuse potential and likelihood of causing dependence.