It may be defined as “a drug/substance with potential for abuse is termed as Controlled Substance or any substance that may be used for production or in manufacturing of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances”.
Controlled substances may be categorized into five schedules that specify the ways in which they must be stored, dispensed, recorded and inventoried.
The purchasing, manufacturing, storing, prescription and distribution of controlled substances is controlled by the Act specified for such substances.
The controlled substances may be included in any one of the following schedules:
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Schedule I:
These substances have the highest potential for abuse, not currently accepted for medical use in treatment and they have lack of accepted safety for use even under medical supervision.
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Schedule II:
These substances have high potential of abuse, recently accepted for their medical use with severe restrictions. Their abuse may lead to severe physiological and physical dependence.
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Schedule III:
They have less potential for abuse than the first two categories. These have accepted medical use and cause moderate or lower dependence.
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Schedule IV:
These have low potential for abuse, accepted medical use and cause limited dependence.
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Schedule V:
These have low potential for abuse, accepted medical use and dependence less than that of Schedule IV.
Abid Ali @abidaliphm
Doctor of Pharmacy
Pharmacy Profession 