01
Accepted medical use
The federal standard treats Schedule III substances as drugs or other substances with currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
U.S. federal terminology reference
Schedule 3 Drugs
In U.S. law and DEA materials, the official term is Schedule III controlled substances. This page explains the search phrase schedule 3 drugs using federal source language, plain-English framing, and dated citations.
Last reviewed: April 24, 2026
Informational summary only. This page does not provide medical, prescribing, or legal advice.
Official definition
What the federal standard is actually testing for.
02
Lower abuse potential than Schedule I or II
The classification sits below Schedules I and II on abuse potential, but above Schedules IV and V in the federal scheduling ladder.
03
Dependence can still be significant
Federal law does not treat Schedule III as low-risk or casual. Abuse may still lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
Classification criteria
The three checks behind a Schedule III designation.
A
Medical use is established
The substance is not placed in Schedule I if it has currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
B
Abuse potential is comparatively lower
Federal law positions Schedule III below Schedules I and II for abuse potential, which is why the comparison matters.
C
Dependence risk is still real
The schedule still recognizes meaningful dependence risk. It is not a synonym for safe, unrestricted, or non-controlled.
Examples with caution
Illustrative examples the DEA names in its public scheduling summary.
These are examples, not a complete legal list. Formulation, dosage unit, later rulemaking, and federal updates can change how a substance is scheduled.
DEA example
Codeine combination products
DEA lists products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit as a Schedule III example.
DEA example
Ketamine
Ketamine appears in the DEA public summary as a Schedule III example. Verify current regulatory context before relying on a summary page.
DEA example
Anabolic steroids
Anabolic steroids are also listed in the DEA overview and remain part of the common public understanding of Schedule III examples.
DEA example
Testosterone
Testosterone is another example named by the DEA. The example is illustrative and should always be checked against the current official source.
FAQ
Questions that usually sit behind the keyword.
The Arabic numeral version is a common search phrase. Federal sources, statutes, and DEA materials use the Roman numeral form: Schedule III.
No. The federal schedule still recognizes abuse and dependence risk. It is a controlled category, not an endorsement of open or risk-free use.
No. The DEA example list is illustrative. Use the official DEA and U.S. Code sources if you need the current legal classification context for a specific substance or formulation.
Yes. The Controlled Substances Act provides a formal scheduling and rescheduling process, so current status should always be checked against an official source rather than a stale secondary summary.
No. This page is an informational reference that summarizes federal public materials as of April 24, 2026. It does not provide diagnosis, treatment, prescribing, procurement, or legal advice.
Official sources
Primary sources used for this page.
Each link below points to a primary U.S. government source reviewed on April 24, 2026.
Reviewed April 24, 2026
DEA Drug Scheduling
Public DEA overview of the five schedules, including common Schedule III examples.
Open sourceReviewed April 24, 2026
DEA Controlled Substances Act
DEA explanation of the scheduling framework and how substances can be added, moved, or removed.
Open sourceReviewed April 24, 2026
21 U.S.C. §812
Primary statutory source for the scheduling criteria and the established federal schedules.
Open source