If you’ve been charged with a federal drug crime, you may have questions regarding federal drug schedules. The seriousness of your charges and potential penalties may hinge on where the drug you are being charged with possessing or trafficking falls on the federal drug schedule. There are five categories or schedules, depending on whether there is an acceptable medical use for the drug, and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential. As an example, a Schedule I drug has a very high potential to create severe physical or psychological dependence.
What are the Schedule I Drugs?
Schedule I drugs have no currently accepted medical use, along with a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs include Peyote, methaqualone, ecstasy, marijuana, LSD, and heroin. Despite being listed as a Schedule I drug, marijuana possession has been decriminalized in many states. In Idaho, possession of up to three ounces of marijuana is a misdemeanor, while possession of more than three ounces is a felony offense.
What are the Schedule II Drugs?
Schedule II drugs also have a high potential for abuse and dependence, and while these drugs may be used for medical purposes, they can also pose a danger to those taking the drugs. Schedule II drugs include Adderall, Ritalin, fentanyl, Dexedrine, OxyContin, Demerol, Dilaudid, methadone, methamphetamine, cocaine, and Vicodin.
What are the Schedule III Drugs?
Schedule III drugs have a low to moderate potential for dependence—both psychological and physical. While these drugs do have medical uses, they have a lower likelihood of abuse. Schedule III drugs include Tylenol with codeine, testosterone, anabolic steroids, and ketamine.
What are the Schedule IV Drugs?
Schedule IV drugs have a low potential for dependence and abuse but do have accepted medical uses. Schedule IV drugs include Tramadol, Ambien, Talwin, Ativan, Valium, Darvocet, Darvon, Soma, and Xanax.
What are the Schedule V Drugs?
Schedule V drugs have a low potential for abuse and dependence and are usually used for analgesic, antidiarrheal, and antitussive purposes. Examples of Schedule V drugs are Parepectolin, Lyrica, Motofen, Lomotil, and cough syrups with less than 200 mg. of codeine per 100 milliliters.
Both federal and state governments have laws that make it a crime to possess, manufacture or distribute illegal drugs. Federal drug charges generally carry much stiffer penalties than state drug charges. Most federal drug charges are felony offenses, meaning they can both expose you to much more serious penalties as well as make a deeper impact on the collateral damages you will experience. Felony charges also carry with them the loss of certain constitutional rights such as the right to possess firearms and the right to vote or sit on a jury.
The federal government tends to defer to the state in most drug cases, particularly if the drug case is simple possession or drug distribution in small quantities. When there are larger quantities of drugs involved, or the drugs cross state lines or national boundaries, the federal government is much more likely to get involved. Even in cases where you buy marijuana in a state where it’s legal and then crosses a state line into a state where it’s illegal, you could potentially be charged with a federal crime. If your alleged drug offense occurs on federal property, you could also be charged with a federal drug offense. If this happens, you will need to contact an experienced federal drug crimes lawyer.
It is also important to know that while Idaho is almost surrounded by states that have legalized marijuana either recreationally or for medical purchases, it is not a defense to possession of marijuana in Idaho that you legally purchase it in another state or that you have a valid prescription for it from another state.
Contact Federal Drug Crimes Lawyer John Cutler
It is extremely important that you contact a strong Idaho Falls federal drug crimes lawyer from Cutler Law Office, P.A. if you are charged with a federal drug crime. This important decision could significantly minimize the impact of your federal drug charges. Contact Cutler Law Office, P.A. today.
