Wisconsin criminal defendants know that when they are facing criminal charges of any kind, their future and their freedom is on the line. This is especially true for people facing drug charges. There are various types of drug charges, and if you face any type of criminal charge related to drug use, possession, manufacturing or trafficking, you would be wise to act quickly to protect your interests.
In many cases, the severity of a drug charge depends on the type of drug involved with your case. The federal Controlled Substances Act ranks many types of drugs, and this classification system could determine how serious the case against you may be. No matter what you are up against, you would be wise to work hard to confront the case against you.
How does the federal drug schedule system work?
If you are facing drug charges, it can be useful to understand how the federal drug schedule system works. This classification system is the source of great controversy, but you may find it useful to better understand it as you fight the drug charges that are currently threatening your future. The system ranks controlled substances in the following order:
- Schedule 5: These drugs have a lower potential for abuse or dependency. They have medicinal uses, and it is possible get a prescription for them, such as cough medicines.
- Schedule 4: Drugs in this category have a low potential for abuse and addiction, and they have valid medicinal uses. These include Valium, Ambien and more.
- Schedule 3: Schedule 3 drugs have a moderate potential for abuse and dependency. These include steroids, ketamine and more.
- Schedule 2: These drugs have a high possibility for abuse and dependency, but schedule 2 drugs do have medicinal value. These include legal prescriptions, such as morphine and other painkillers.
- Schedule 1: This category includes drugs that have a high probability for abuse and dependency. All drugs in this category are illegal, and there is no medicinal use for any of them.
Cases that involve the misuse of schedule 1 or schedule 2 drugs, are more serious. Many drug cases arise out of the improper use of drugs that came from a valid prescription.
You may want to take your drug case seriously, no matter the details. There is much at stake, but a conviction is never your only option. You would be wise to start building a defense as soon as possible after an arrest or the start of an investigation.
