Schedule III, IV, and V Drugs

Drugs are classified, in part, on their anticipated potential for abuse. Schedule III drugs have a lower level of potential abuse than Schedule II and Schedule I controlled substances. Drugs classified as Schedule III substances have accepted medical uses (often for euthanasia) and have been shown to put users at risk of physiological and/or psychological dependence. You can only legally possess Schedule III drugs when you have a lawful prescription or accepted lawful purpose.

Schedule III drugs include:

• Codeine;
• Suboxone (buprenorphine);
• Didrex (benzphetamine);
• phendimetrazine;
• Ketamine; and
• Depo-Testosterone (anabolic steroids).

Schedule V drugs are considered to have the lowest potential for abuse and addiction. These drugs have widely accepted medical uses and are generally “preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics.” For example, when a pharmacist prepares certain cough syrups they may use Codeine as an active ingredient to make the medicine more effective. So, many substances are only listed as Schedule V drugs because they have been mixed with addictive narcotics.

Schedule V drugs include:

• Prescriptions containing not more than 200 milligrams of codeine per 100 milliliters;
• Prescriptions containing not more than 200 milligrams of opium per 100 grams; and
• ezogabine.