National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

What are Schedule Drugs classified based on?

1. Potential for abuse

2. Frequency of use

3. Type of formulation

4. Age of users

The correct answer is: Potential for abuse

Schedule drugs are classified primarily based on their potential for abuse and the degree of risk they pose to individuals and society. This classification system is outlined in the Controlled Substances Act, which categorizes drugs into schedules ranging from I to V. Schedule I substances have a high potential for abuse, no accepted medical use, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision, such as heroin and LSD. On the other end, Schedule V substances have a lower potential for abuse relative to Schedule I drugs and typically include medications with limited amounts of narcotics, like certain cough preparations. The other options do not serve as the basis for the scheduling of drugs. Frequency of use does not inherently determine a drug's classification because a medication can be frequently used but still have a high potential for abuse. The type of formulation might influence how a drug is administered or its effect, but it does not dictate the scheduling. Age of users is also not a criterion for scheduling; rather, it is the intrinsic properties of the substances that are evaluated for their potential for abuse and dependence that guide their classification.