In last week’s blog, we discussed a woman who is facing hundreds of charges for the possession of prescription drugs. That post might have some of our Maryland readers wondering exactly what drugs are considered controlled substances. It is imperative to know that not everyone who is in possession of these drugs is guilty of a crime. It is legal to possess many controlled substances if they are able to be legally prescribed and the person who has the controlled substance has a valid prescription.
What governs controlled substances?
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 is the federal act that governs controlled substances. Within this act are five categories. These categories are numbered I, II, III, IV and V.
What is in each category?
All items in Schedule I are illegal and have no accepted medicinal use. These include peyote, LSD and heroin. Schedule II drugs have a high chance of abuse and physical dependence. These include Dilaudid, methadone, morphine, codeine and amphetamine. Schedule III drugs aren’t as prone to abuse as Schedule II drugs, but might still be abused. These include Vicodin, Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids. Schedule IV drugs aren’t as prone to abuse as Schedule III. These include Ativan, Versed, Xanax and Soma. Schedule V drugs are mostly combination drugs that contain smaller amounts of narcotics. Cough syrups that contain codeine are in this category.
It is possible for state laws and statutes to differ from the federal laws. Because of that fact and the serious consequences you might face if you are convicted of possession of a controlled substance, it is vital that you defend yourself in an appropriate manner against these charges.
Source: FindLaw, “What Is a Controlled Substance?” Nov. 19, 2014