If you or someone you love was recently arrested on drug charges, whether for possession or trafficking, it is important to understand the penalties they may face. Continue reading to learn the basics surrounding Indiana’s drug schedules, and what you should do if you are facing drug charges right now.
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In our state, the law uses a grouping system to classify and delineate all drugs and controlled substances according to their abuse potential and addictive nature, including both legal and illegal drugs. These groupings, called “schedules”, were developed by the Federal government and Indiana legislature. They range in number and severity, from 1 to 5 (often represented in numeral letters, I – V), and can also be influenced by other factors, including the level of acceptance for medical treatment, physical dependence, and psychological dependence.
Schedule Ⅴ Drugs
Schedule 5 drugs fall under Indiana Code 35-48-2-12. They are considered to be the least dangerous and addictive and pose the lowest risk of dependency. This includes non-narcotics such as Tylenol, Codeine, and similar OTC drugs. A drug is a Schedule 5 substance if it has lower abuse potential than a Schedule 4 drug, is medically accepted, and is less likely to cause physical or psychological dependency than a Schedule 4 drug.
Schedule Ⅳ Drugs
Schedule 4 drugs fall under Indiana Code 35-48-2-10. They are measured to have a slight risk of physical or psychological dependency, but has a wide range of medically-accepted uses. This includes drugs like tranquilizers, clonazepam, diazepam, loprazolam, alprazolam, midazolam, carisoprodol, methohexital, and modafinil, clorazepate, triazolam, temazepam, and similar benzodiazepines.A drug is a Schedule 4 substance if it has lower abuse potential than a Schedule 3 drug, is medically accepted, and causes limited physical or psychological dependency than that of a Schedule 3 drug.
Schedule Ⅲ Drugs
Schedule 3 drugs fall under Indiana Code 35-48-2-8. They are considered to be any drug that has a moderate risk of abuse, but less dangerous than Schedule one and two drugs. This includes drugs like testosterone, anabolic steroids, ketamine, codeine, chlorphentermine, nalorphineand Buprenorphine (Suboxone), phendimetrazine, and benzphetamine.
Schedule Ⅱ Drugs
Schedule 2 drugs fall under Indiana Code 35-48-2-6. They are deliberated to be any drug less dangerous than Schedule I drugs. They may have legitimate medical uses, but with a high risk of abuse. A drug can be classified as a Schedule II if it has high abuse potential, is either medically accepted or has severe medical restrictions, and causes physical and psychological dependence. Schedule II drugs include cocaine, crack, PCP (phencyclidine), opium, raw opium, opium extracts, methamphetamines, amphetamines, methylphenidate, hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, methadone, pethidine, amobarbital, glutethimide, pentobarbital,and phenmetrazine.
Schedule Ⅰ Drugs
Schedule one drugs fall under Indiana Code 35-48-2-4. They are classified to be the most dangerous and have the highest abuse potential. They have a high potential for physical and psychological dependency, with no legitimate medical purposes or uses. Drugs like this include heroin, mescaline, peyote, benzylpiperazine, psilocybin, tetrahydrocannabinols (THC), methaqualone, MDMA (Ecstacy), and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide).
For a complete list of controlled substances and Indiana drug schedules, Visit the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Diversion Control website.
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