Controlled Substance
Category: Legal · Level: Beginner
A controlled substance is a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession, and use are regulated by law due to potential for abuse or harm.
A controlled substance is any drug or compound regulated by government under a legal framework that controls its manufacture, possession, distribution, and use. In the United States, the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970 classifies substances into five schedules based on medical use, abuse potential, and safety profile. Cannabis remains Schedule I federally. In the UK, controlled drugs are classified as Class A, B, or C under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; cannabis is Class B. The UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) and Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971) provide the international framework for controlled substance regulation globally.
Also known as
Scheduled substance, Regulated drug
Usage
- Legal
Related terms
- Compliance — Cannabis compliance refers to adherence to all applicable laws, regulations, and standards governing the production, testing, distribution, and sale of cannabis.
- Legalization — Cannabis legalization refers to the process of removing criminal prohibitions on cannabis cultivation, possession, sale, or use and establishing a regulated legal market.
- DEA — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is the US federal law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing controlled substances laws and regulations.
- Medical Cannabis — Medical cannabis refers to cannabis or cannabis-derived products prescribed or recommended by a licensed healthcare professional for therapeutic purposes.
- Schedule I — Schedule I is the most restrictive classification under the US Controlled Substances Act, applied to substances deemed to have high abuse potential and no accepted medical use, including cannabis.