In the US, controlled substances are classified into how many schedules?

In the United States, controlled substances are classified into five schedules under the Controlled Substances Act. This classification system is designed to categorize drugs based on their potential for abuse, accepted medical use, and safety or dependence liability.

Schedule I substances have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, while Schedule II substances also have a high potential for abuse but are accepted for medical use with severe restrictions. Schedule III, IV, and V substances have progressively lower potentials for abuse and various accepted medical uses, with Schedule V having the least potential for abuse and lower restrictions.

Understanding these schedules is essential for compliance with legal regulations regarding the handling, prescribing, and dispensing of controlled substances in research and clinical settings. This knowledge is particularly important for laboratory animal technologists, as they often work with substances that may fall under these regulations.