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Glossary

Scheduled drugs / Scheduled medicines

Scheduled drugs, or scheduled medicines, refer to substances classified by regulatory authorities based on their potential for abuse, medical use, and safety. In the UK, they are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

How many categories of scheduled drugs exist in the UK?

 

In the UK, scheduled drugs are split into five categories:

  • Schedule 1: No recognised medical use and high potential for abuse (e.g., LSD, MDMA).
  • Schedule 2: Medical use but with a high risk of misuse (e.g., morphine, diamorphine, and most CBPMs).
  • Schedule 3: Medical use, lower abuse potential than Schedule 2 (e.g., barbiturates, buprenorphine).
  • Schedule 4: Medical use, lower abuse potential (e.g., diazepam, Sativex).
  • Schedule 5: Medicines with very low doses of controlled drugs, presenting minimal risk of misuse (e.g., certain low-strength codeine products).

 

What category do most medical cannabis products fall under?

 

Most medical cannabis products, also known as CBPMs (cannabis-based products for medical use), are classified as Schedule 2 drugs in the UK. This means they have a recognised medical use but with a high risk of misuse. This classification is based on the psychoactive component of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and its potential for abuse.

 

Will CBPMs stay classified as Schedule 2 drugs?

 

The classification of CBPMs as Schedule 2 drugs has been a topic of debate and discussion. In November 2018, medical cannabis was rescheduled to Schedule 2 under the UK Misuse of Drugs Regulations. This change allows specialist doctors listed on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register to prescribe CBPMs.

Many believe that this classification is still restrictive and limits access to medical cannabis for patients who may benefit from it. There have been calls for CBPMs to be moved to Schedule 4, which would make them more widely available to patients.

If you would like to learn more about medical cannabis in the UK, Releaf is here to help. In addition to this medical cannabis glossary, we have an extensive blog and education hub to explore, both filled with resources that UK medical cannabis patients, prescribers, and educators have been asking for.