New Jersey Drug Crimes Attorneys
Drug Schedules
Both federal and state laws refer to drugs by their scheduling number -- for example, marijuana is a Schedule I drug. These scheduling numbers come from categories established by the federal Controlled Substances Act, the law that regulates, controls and prohibits drugs the federal government considers potentially dangerous.
The Controlled Substances Act divides drugs into five groups, or schedules, according to how dangerous lawmakers believe they are. Schedule I is the category with drugs considered the most serious, while Schedule V contains drugs that might be abused, but also have accepted medical uses. Thus, crimes involving Schedule I drugs are likely to be punished more severely than crimes involving drugs in the other schedules.
Each schedule has specific qualifications that drugs must meet to be included:
- Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use and are considered unsafe even when used under medical supervision.
- Schedule II drugs have a high potential for abuse, have some currently accepted medical uses but may be restricted, and abuse may lead to severe dependence.
- Schedule III drugs have a lower potential for abuse than Schedule I or II drugs, have a currently accepted medical use and could lead to moderate to low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
- Schedule IV drugs have a lower potential for abuse than Schedule III drugs, have a currently accepted medical use and could lead to limited physical or psychological dependence.
- Schedule V drugs have the lowest potential for abuse of any scheduled drugs, have a currently accepted medical use and could lead to limited physical or psychological dependence relative to Schedule IV.
There are hundreds of drugs listed in these five schedules, although many of them are drugs that are chemically similar to or derived from one another. For example, heroin is a Schedule I drug, but many other drugs derived from opium appear in all of the schedules. Placement of the drugs can be controversial, and the schedules do not include several substances that are controlled by other laws, including pseudophedrine, nitrous oxide and other chemicals that may be abused.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration maintains a full list of scheduled drugs, but here are some of the most common drugs and their schedules:
- Schedule I: Ecstasy, psilocybin ("magic mushrooms"), marijuana, heroin, LSD.
- Schedule II: Cocaine, methadone, codeine, methamphetamine, oxycodone (OxyContin).
- Schedule III: Marinol, ketamine, anabolic steroids, codeine when combined with other drugs.
- Schedule IV: Benzodiazepines (including Valium and Xanax), flunitrazepam (Rophynol, "roofies"), barbiturates, certain diet drugs.
- Schedule V: Medicines containing a small amount of codeine or opium, pylovalerone (Centroton,Thymergix).
If you're facing drug charges in New Jersey, you should call Lependorf & Silverstein as soon as possible. We are an experienced criminal defense law firm based in Princeton and serving the entire state. We believe every defendant, no matter what the charge, is entitled to a full and vigorous defense. After 15 years of practicing law in New Jersey, we understand all of the common tricks prosecutors and law enforcement use to build the case against you -- and we know how to counter them. We will work hard to protect your legal rights and get you the bet possible outcome to your case, whether that means negotiating with prosecutors or a strong defense at trial. And because we offer free consultations, there's no risk in speaking to our experienced New Jersey drug crime defense attorneys about your rights and your case.
If you or a loved one has been accused of drug crimes in New Jersey, contact Lependorf & Silverstein today for a free consultation.