Prescription drugs
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Prescription drugs are drugs or medications that are regulated by the federal government and can only be obtained through the written authorization of a doctor of medicine (MD), a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO), or a doctor of podiatry (DPM) -- all of whom are graduates of medical school and licensed to practice medicine. Nurse practitioners (APNs and APRNs) and physician's assistants (PAs) and other medical practitioners have some authority to prescribe medicines, but they are limited according to different laws that vary by state. Optometrists (DO) can write prescriptions for eye drops and antibiotics, and dentists (DDS) can write them for dental conditions only. Veterinarians (DVM) can prescribe medicines for animals, not people; and doctors licensed to treat humans cannot prescribe drugs for animals.
The agency that regulates prescription drugs in the United States is the Federal Drug Administration.
The government classifies certain "controlled drugs" into five categories or schedules, based on their potential for harmful effects. A Schedule I Controlled Substance has high potential for abuse, could be unsafe, and have no medical uses. They are illegal to use or prescribe. A Schedule II Controlled Substance has high potential for abuse that could lead to psychological or physical dependence, but has accepted medical purposes and is legal to prescribe. A Schedule III Controlled Substance has less potential for abuse than those in Schedules I and II, and can be prescribed for medical conditions. A Schedule IV Controlled Substance has a low potential for abuse and medical uses, and a Schedule IV Controlled Substance has medical uses and a lower potential for abuse than even Schedule IV drugs. You cannot legally obtain controlled substances without a prescription. There are also federal laws about how certain controlled substances must be stored.
"Legend drugs" are prescription drugs that are not controlled substances, but still require a doctor's prescription to obtain legally. They are called "legend drugs" because they carry the legend: "Caution! Federal law prohibits dispensing without a prescription."
You can buy over-the-counter drugs in grocery, drug, convenience and other stores without a prescription.
The federal government has difficulty enforcing laws regulating prescription drugs because they are being sold illegally over the internet and available over-the-counter in foreign countries without prescriptions.
