The Controlled Substances Act was passed into law by Congress as part of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. The overall purpose behind the new legislation enacted under President Richard Nixon was to allow a provision and a set of guidelines for the United States Government to battle the abuse of drugs and other chemical and substances. The Controlled Substances Act, or CSA, became an amalgamation of laws and regulations set to be implemented on the manufacture, distribution, use, and production of drugs or certain substances.
The Controlled Substances Act allowed for a collection or list of these drugs and chemicals which were to be placed into certain categories. These would be known as controlled substances and were divided into five general groups. These five categories would serve in helping to identify the nature of the controlled substance by using its effects as the qualifying factor. The Controlled Substances Act would then create a system that would classify each of these controlled substances in terms of Drug Schedules, which would serve as the basis or guideline in determining the restrictions or regulations regarding that particular drug or chemical.
The factors that were considered in placing the controlled substances into their respective schedules are as follows:
Active or relative potential for abuse or addiction.
Scientific evidence of drug or substance's effects.
Current scientific knowledge of the drug or substance; this provision pertains to all general knowledge as opposed to just effects.
History and pattern of abuse; considers socioeconomic factors for possible involvement in abuse or addiction.
Scope, duration, and significance of abuse or addiction.