Controlled substances? Such a simple name – but so many variations that could cause criminal problems in Connecticut. For the most part, controlled substances are either illegal drugs, like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and crack, or legal drugs that must be prescribed by a doctor. In either situation, there are rules about who can have them, how much they can have and when thy can get them, hence the term “controlled substances.”

While controlled substances is a simple term that doesn’t really explain what they are, there are different classifications for controlled substances set forth by the Federal Government, and used by the state. The set forth Schedules of where drugs should be classified into five different listings.

Schedule I Substances

The drugs in this schedule are those that have no accepted medical use in the United States and have a high abuse potential. Some examples are heroin, marijuana, LSD, peyote, mescaline, psilocybin, tetrahydrocannabinols, ketobemidone, levomoramide, racemoramide, benrylmorphine, dihydromorphine, nicocodeine, nicomorphine, and others. Many of these drugs are commonly called hallucinogens. While marijana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug, there are the early beginnings of it being accepted as having medical use in Connecticut, but the Federal government has not changed its classification yet.

Schedule II Substances

The drugs in this schedule have a high abuse potential with psychic or physical dependence liability. Schedule II controlled substances consist of certain narcotic, stimulant, and depressant drugs. Some examples of Schedule II controlled narcotic substances are: opium, morphine, codeine, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone (Dolophine), pantopon, meperidine (Demerol), cocaine, oxycodone (Percodan), Anileridine (Leritine), and oxymorphone (Numorphan). Also in Schedule II are amphetamine (Benzedrine, Dexedrine) and methamphetamine (Desoxyn), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), amobarbital, pentobarbital, secobarbital, methaqualone, etorphine hydrochloride, diphenoxylate, and phencyclidine. Since crack is a derivation of cocaine, it falls into this category.

Schedule III Substances

The drugs in this schedule have an abuse potential less than those in Schedules I and II, and include compounds containing limited quantities of certain narcotic drugs, and non-narcotic drugs such as: derivatives of barbituric acid except those that are listed in another schedule, glutethimide (Doriden), methyprylon (Nodular), chlorhexadol, sulfondiethylmethane, sulfomethane, nalorphine, benzphetamine, chlorphentermine, clortermine, mazindol, phendimetrazine, and paregoric.

Schedule IV Substances

The drugs in this schedule have an abuse potential less than those listed in Schedule III and include such drugs as: barbital, phenobarbital, methylphenobarbital, chloral betaine (Beta Chlor), chloral hydrate, ethchlorvynol (Placidyl), ethinamate (Valmid), meprobamate (Equanil, Miltown), paraldehyde, methohexital, fenfluramine, diethyipropion, phentermine, chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium), oxazepam (Serax), clorazepate (Tranxene), flurazepam (Dalmane), clonazepam (Clonopin), prazepam (Verstran), lorazepam (Ativan), mebutamate and dextropropoxyphene (Darvon).

Schedule V Substances

The drugs in this schedule have an abuse potential less than those listed in Schedule IV and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotic drugs generally for antitussive and antidiarrheal purposes.

Whenever someone is charged with offenses that include controlled substance violations in Connecticut, they are often also charged with additional offenses involving the manufacturing and/or distributing of them. The police like to add as many charges to an arrest as possible, knowing they might not all eventually be found guilty, but more charges is believed to have more leverage over the defendant.

Call a Connecticut Lawyer to Discuss Controlled Substances

In years past, there were prosecution of people who have used people under the age of 18 as drug runners or dealers, and there are certain laws enacted to enhance penalties for these behaviors. Just reviewing all the different variables in connection with controlled substance law in Connecticut can be confusing. Our lawyers have been trained in the laws and defenses and are happy to help with a case.