These differences between drugs can be confusing, but the U.S. government has made efforts to classify drugs to clarify differences between their specific risks and benefits. The Opium Act lays down the rules applicable to drugs. Two lists are attached to this law. These define the distinction between soft and hard drugs. Prosecutors also do not prosecute for possession of small amounts of soft drugs. These quantities are defined as follows: Each of these drugs, along with thousands of others, is classified as a controlled substance, but not all are illegal. Some of them only become illegal if a person uses them without a prescription, if they take more than the recommended dose, or if they mix them together to change the effect of the drug. As the DEA explains, Schedule V drugs have the lowest potential for abuse, while Schedule I drugs have the highest potential for abuse and dependence. Legal medications can be purchased over-the-counter or with a doctor`s prescription. Illicit drugs cannot be legally manufactured, bought, or sold in the United States. And other drugs are legal in some situations, but illegal when abused.
If you are addicted to illegal or controlled substances and need help, we offer treatment options to help you on your road to recovery. Our phone lines are open 24 hours a day and our intake coordinators are always available to talk to you about any questions you may have about illegal and controlled substances and help you find the treatment options that are right for you. Call us at 615-490-9376. The 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that in the month prior to the survey, nearly 24 million Americans aged 12 or older, or 9.2 percent of that population, were currently illicit drug users. Of these, nearly seven million reported abusing prescription drugs. These include drugs such as methamphetamine, which were made from prescription drugs. These figures suggest that many types of drugs, both legal and illegal, are regularly used in the United States. The Opium Act lays down the rules applicable to drugs. The law distinguishes between hard and soft drugs. It prohibits the possession, sale and manufacture of drugs, but the Netherlands tolerates the sale of soft drugs in coffee shops under certain strict conditions. A coffee shop is a facility where cannabis is sold, but no alcoholic beverages are sold or consumed. Soft drugs such as marijuana and hashish are less harmful to health than hard drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine.
But soft drugs are also illegal in the Netherlands. This means that those who sell, produce, market or possess these drugs can be prosecuted. The DEA also lists the following examples for each list of drugs: However, the Netherlands has a policy of tolerance towards the sale of soft drugs in cafes. This means that selling soft drugs in coffee shops is a criminal offense, but prosecutors do not prosecute coffeeshops for this crime. The CSA states that the following factors affect the schedule of a drug: Since its inception in 1970, the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) has been used by law enforcement agencies to reduce drug abuse and addiction among Americans by regulating the production, sale, purchase and use of many drugs. This law gives the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) the authority to monitor and control the use of legal and illegal substances. Most illicit drugs are also controlled substances in the United States, but not all controlled substances are considered illegal. Even legal drugs have the potential for abuse and dependence, so it is necessary for a person to understand that all drugs, legal and illegal, can be dangerous if abused. If a person has doubts about whether a medication is safe or not, they should consult their doctor before taking the medication. Because of the many differences between different types of substances and between each individual substance, the CSA places each substance in one of five categories called lists.