Which schedule has lower abuse potential than Schedule III, with accepted medical uses and limited physical or psychological dependence?

• A. Schedule IV
• B. Schedule V
• C. Schedule II
• D. Schedule I

Answer: (A)

Controlled substance schedules rank drugs by abuse potential and medical usefulness, along with how likely dependence is. The description “lower abuse potential than Schedule III, with accepted medical uses and limited physical or psychological dependence” fits Schedule IV. It explicitly notes a lower potential for abuse than Schedule III, and that there is an accepted medical use with only limited dependence risk, which is exactly how Schedule IV is defined.

The other schedules don’t align with all parts of that statement: Schedule II has high abuse potential and stricter controls, Schedule I has no accepted medical use, Schedule III has higher dependence risk than Schedule IV, and Schedule V, while it also has low abuse potential and medical use, is typically described as having even lower abuse potential relative to Schedule IV. This combination points to Schedule IV as the correct match.