Drug charges in the federal criminal system aren’t based on California laws. Instead, they are based on federal laws. This includes acts like the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which divides certain drugs into different categories. Each category is called a schedule.
If you are facing drug charges related to controlled substances, you should understand some of the things that are included in the CSA. This might help you as you work on your defense strategy.
How are the schedules divided?
There are five schedules in the CSA. Each schedule has specific criteria for what drugs are included in it. The higher the number of the schedule, the more regulated the drug. This is because drugs higher on the schedules are more addictive and less likely to have any valid medical use.
What are schedule 5 drugs?
These drugs have some chance of being abused, but they do have some use in the medical world. Cough suppressants that contain codeine and Lyrica are two of the drugs you will find in schedule 5.
What are schedule 4 drugs?
Schedule 4 drugs have a higher chance of being abused than those in schedule 5. These drugs also have some use in medicine. Two examples of schedule 4 drugs are Valium and Xanax.
What are schedule 3 drugs?
Drugs on schedule 3 have a moderate to high dependency rate for users. They do have some uses in the medical field. Vicodin and anabolic steroids are included in this schedule.
What are schedule 2 drugs?
Schedule 2 drugs have a higher chance of dependency than schedule 3 drugs. These can be used to treat patients in the United States. However, they are very tightly regulated. Morphine and cocaine are both listed as schedule 2 drugs.
What are schedule 1 drugs?
Substances on schedule 1 are highly addictive and don’t have any recognized uses in medicine. These drugs are not allowed to be used legally in the United States. Marijuana is currently on this schedule even though there have been studies showing that it might have some medical uses and some states have decriminalized the substance. Heroin and ecstasy are also on this schedule.
Since federal charges come with a different set of penalties than state charges, you need to make sure that you are getting accurate information about what you are facing. You also need to find out the evidence the prosecution has against you. This can help you to decide the direction of your defense and provide an idea of where you need to plan your focus.