What schedule are opiates? A guide to the DEA's controlled substance classifications

October 6, 2025 •

3 min read

The classification of drugs by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is governed by the Controlled Substances Act, which places drugs into five distinct schedules based on their potential for abuse and accepted medical use. For the query, "What schedule are opiates?" the answer is not a single schedule but depends on the specific opioid, as they can be classified anywhere from Schedule I to Schedule V.

Quick Summary

Opiates and opioids are categorized into federal drug schedules from I to V based on abuse potential and medical use. This classification dictates legal handling and prescription requirements, with examples ranging from illicit heroin (Schedule I) to regulated codeine-containing medications (Schedule II, III, and V).

Key Points

Opiates are in multiple schedules: The classification of an opiate depends on its abuse potential and medical use, placing various forms in Schedules I, II, III, and V.
Schedule I opiates have no medical use: Heroin is a prime example of a Schedule I opiate, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical application in the US.
Schedule II includes potent, prescribed opiates: Strong prescription painkillers like morphine, fentanyl, and oxycodone are Schedule II substances due to their high abuse potential, despite accepted medical uses.
Lower-strength opiates are in Schedules III and V: Preparations with limited quantities of codeine, such as some cough syrups (Schedule V) or combined pills (Schedule III), have lower abuse potential.
Scheduling dictates prescription rules: The drug schedule determines prescription requirements, with Schedule II drugs prohibiting refills and lower schedules allowing limited refills under specific conditions.
The DEA oversees the scheduling process: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, in collaboration with the FDA, classifies controlled substances based on eight key factors related to their risk and medical utility.

The categorization of drugs, including opiates, is a critical component of federal and state drug laws, designed to control the manufacturing, distribution, and possession of substances that can be abused or lead to dependence. The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970 established a five-tiered system of schedules for controlled substances, with the level of restriction directly corresponding to a drug's potential for abuse and its accepted medical use in the United States. Understanding this system is crucial, especially regarding powerful and potentially addictive substances like opiates.

The Controlled Substances Act and Drug Scheduling

Under the CSA, the DEA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) work together to determine a drug's classification. The scheduling decision is based on factors including abuse potential, pharmacological effects, scientific knowledge, abuse patterns, public health risk, and potential for dependence. This explains why different opiates or preparations fall into different schedules.

Opioid Classification Across the Schedules

The scheduling of opiates varies depending on potency, medical use, and the quantity and combination of active ingredients. The DEA's scheduling covers natural opiates and synthetic/semi-synthetic opioids with similar effects.

Schedule I: The Highest Potential for Abuse

Schedule I substances have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use in the U.S. They cannot be legally prescribed.

Heroin: A well-known illicit opiate, heroin is a Schedule I substance due to its high abuse potential and lack of accepted medical use.

Schedule II: High Abuse Potential with Medical Use

Schedule II drugs have a high abuse potential that can lead to severe dependence but also have accepted medical uses. Prescriptions are allowed but strictly regulated.

Common Schedule II opiates and opioids include:

Morphine: Used for moderate to severe pain.
Fentanyl: A powerful synthetic opioid for severe pain.
Oxycodone: Found in medications like OxyContin and Percocet.
Hydrocodone: Including products like Vicodin.
Methadone: Used for pain and addiction treatment.
Hydromorphone: A potent pain reliever (e.g., Dilaudid).
Codeine: When used as a single-entity narcotic.

Schedule III: Moderate to Low Potential for Dependence

Schedule III substances have lower abuse potential than Schedule I or II and may lead to moderate physical or high psychological dependence. They have accepted medical uses and include preparations with limited quantities of certain narcotics.

Examples of Schedule III opiate preparations include:

Tylenol with Codeine: Preparations with less than 90mg of codeine per dosage unit.
Buprenorphine: Used for opioid addiction and pain, often in products like Suboxone.

Schedule V: Lowest Potential for Abuse

This schedule includes substances with low abuse potential relative to Schedule IV and accepted medical uses. These preparations typically contain limited quantities of certain narcotics.

An example of a Schedule V opiate preparation is:

Codeine Cough Syrups: Antitussive preparations with less than 200mg of codeine per 100ml or 100g.

Comparison of Opiate Schedules


Feature	Schedule I	Schedule II	Schedule III	Schedule V
Abuse Potential	High	High	Moderate to Low	Low
Accepted Medical Use	None in the U.S.	Yes, but with severe restrictions	Yes	Yes
Dependence Liability	Severe physical and psychological	Severe physical and psychological	Moderate to low physical, high psychological	Limited physical or psychological
Prescription Rules	Cannot be prescribed	Written or e-prescriptions only; no refills	Written, e-prescriptions, or verbal; up to 5 refills within 6 months	Prescription required; refills as authorized by prescriber
Opiate Examples	Heroin, raw opium	Morphine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, oxycodone	Codeine combination products, buprenorphine	Codeine cough syrups

The Importance of Opiate Scheduling

The scheduling system is vital for regulating the opioid supply chain and enforcing laws against trafficking and misuse. Stricter schedules impose greater limits on access, prescription procedures, and record-keeping to reduce abuse and diversion. Schedule II prescriptions, for instance, cannot be refilled, requiring regular healthcare provider visits for ongoing monitoring. Schedule V substances have less stringent rules due to lower risk. Public awareness of scheduling helps educate individuals about the risks of different medications.

Conclusion

In conclusion, opiates are classified across Schedules I, II, III, and V, depending on the specific drug and formulation. The DEA's system, under the Controlled Substances Act, balances medical need with abuse risk. This framework controls substances from illicit heroin to low-quantity cough preparations. Understanding this system is crucial for appreciating opioid regulations and patient safety measures.

For more detailed information, consult the official DEA Diversion Control website.(https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/schedules.html)

Frequently Asked Questions

Historically, 'opiate' referred to naturally derived drugs from the opium poppy, like morphine and codeine. 'Opioid' is a broader term encompassing all substances that activate opioid receptors, including natural opiates, semi-synthetic drugs (like hydrocodone), and synthetic ones (like fentanyl).

Heroin is a Schedule I drug because it has a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use in the United States. Morphine, while also highly addictive, is a Schedule II drug because it has a widely accepted medical use for treating pain.

No. The schedule for a codeine-containing product depends on the concentration of codeine and other ingredients. For example, higher-potency single-entity codeine is Schedule II, combination products with less than 90mg of codeine per dose are Schedule III, and cough syrups with even lower concentrations are Schedule V.

Fentanyl is a Schedule II synthetic opioid. It is a powerful pain reliever with a high potential for abuse and is subject to the strict regulations of Schedule II controlled substances.

A Schedule II prescription cannot be refilled. A new prescription must be issued by a healthcare provider for each new supply, often requiring a face-to-face visit or e-prescription.

Different schedules exist to regulate drugs based on a balance between their medical utility and their potential for abuse and dependence. This system allows for appropriate medical use while controlling access to riskier substances more stringently.

Yes, buprenorphine is a Schedule III narcotic. It is often used to treat opioid addiction and pain, but because its abuse potential is lower than Schedule I and II drugs, it falls into a different category.