Controlled substances are classified by federal regulations into how many schedules?

• A. 2
• B. 3
• C. 4
• D. 5

Answer: (D)

Understanding how controlled substances are categorized helps you grasp the level of oversight required for storage, prescribing, and dispensing. Federal regulations classify them into five schedules. The schedule designation reflects abuse potential, accepted medical use, and safety under supervision: a Schedule I substance has the highest potential for abuse, no accepted medical use in the United States, and cannot be prescribed or dispensed. Schedule II substances have a high potential for abuse but do have accepted medical uses with strict restrictions. Schedule III, Schedule IV, and Schedule V progressively have lower potential for abuse and contain substances with legitimate medical uses, but with varying levels of prescribing and dispensing controls. Because of this five-schedule system, you’ll see increasingly lenient handling requirements from Schedule II through Schedule V, and the most stringent restrictions for Schedule I.