NJ Drug Schedules

New Jersey Drug Schedules

Essex County Attorney Challenges CDS Laws

Essex County Drug Lawyer
New Jersey Drug Schedules – NJ CDS Classification Law

New Jersey courts are known for imposing severe penalties on individuals convicted of drug crimes. One of the bases for these punishments comes from NJ drug laws, which classify these offenses in accordance with drug “schedules.” The higher the classification or schedule, the harsher the penalties are for offenders. Whether you have been charged with possession of Xanax (Schedule IV) or distribution of heroin (Schedule I), it is imperative that you speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

The Tormey Law Firm is a drug crime defense team that includes a former county prosecutor and an attorney who previously worked for the United States Attorney’s Office. We have defended countless clients charged with drug offenses in Millburn, West Orange, and everywhere else in Essex County, NJ. Call us today at 201-654-3464 to discuss your drug charges, or email us to schedule a free consultation at our Newark office.

N.J.S.A. 24:21-4: Schedules of Controlled Dangerous Substances

The schedules contained in the New Jersey Criminal Code list each controlled dangerous substances (CDS) according to its official name, common or usual name, chemical name, or designated trade name.

Schedule I Drugs in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 24:21-5

a. The director shall place a substance in Schedule I if he finds that the substance: (1) has high potential for abuse; and (2) has no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; or lacks accepted safety for use in treatment under medical supervision.
b. The controlled dangerous substances listed in this section are included in Schedule I, subject to any revision and republishing by the director pursuant to subsection d. of section 3 of P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-3), and except to the extent provided in any other schedule.
c. Any of the following opiates, including their isomers, esters, and ethers, unless specifically excepted, whenever the existence of such isomers, esters, ethers and salts is possible within the specific chemical designation:
(1) Acetylmethadol
(2) Allylprodine
(3) Alphacetylmethadol
(4) Alphameprodine
(5) Alphamethadol
(6) Benzethidine
(7) Betacetylmethadol
(8) Betameprodine
(9) Betamethadol
(10) Betaprodine
(11) Clonitazene
(12) Dextromoramide
(13) Dextrorphan
(14) Diampromide
(15) Diethylthiambutene
(16) Dimenoxadol
(17) Dimepheptanol
(18) Dimethylthiambutene
(19) Dioxaphetyl butyrate
(20) Dipipanone
(21) Ethylmethylthiambutene
(22) Etonitazene
(23) Etoxeridine
(24) Furethidine
(25) Hydroxypethidine
(26) Ketobemidone
(27) Levomoramide
(28) Levophenacylmorphan
(29) Morpheridine
(30) Noracymethadol
(31) Norlevorphanol
(32) Normethadone
(33) Norpipanone
(34) Phenadoxone
(35) Phenampromide
(36) Phenomorphan
(37) Phenoperidine
(38) Piritramide
(39) Proheptazine
(40) Properidine
(41) Racemoramide
(42) Trimeperidine.
d. Any of the following narcotic substances, their salts, isomers and salts of isomers, unless specifically excepted, whenever the existence of such salts, isomers and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation:
(1) Acetorphine
(2) Acetylcodone
(3) Acetyldihydrocodeine
(4) Benzylmorphine
(5) Codeine methylbromide
(6) Codeine-N-Oxide
(7) Cyprenorphine
(8) Desomorphine
(9) Dihydromorphine
(10) Etorphine
(11) Heroin
(12) Hydromorphinol
(13) Methyldesorphine
(14) Methylhydromorphine
(15) Morphine methylbromide
(16) Morphine methylsulfonate
(17) Morphine-N-Oxide
(18) Myrophine
(19) Nicocodeine
(20) Nicomorphine
(21) Normorphine
(22) Phoclodine
(23) Thebacon.
e. Any material, compound, mixture or preparation which contains any quantity of the following hallucinogenic substances, their salts, isomers and salts of isomers, unless specifically excepted, whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation:
(1) 3,4-methylenedioxy amphetamine
(2) 5-methoxy-3,4-methylenedioxy amphetamine
(3) 3,4,5-trimethoxy amphetamine
(4) Bufotenine
(5) Diethyltryptamine
(6) Dimethyltryptamine
(7) 4-methyl-2,5-dimethoxylamphetamine
(8) Ibogaine
(9) Lysergic acid diethylamide
(10) Marihuana
(11) Mescaline
(12) Peyote
(13) N-ethyl-3-piperidyl benzilate
(14) N-methyl-3-piperidyl benzilate
(15) Psilocybin
(16) Psilocyn
(17) Tetrahydrocannabinols

Schedule II Drugs in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 24:21-6

a. The director shall place a substance in Schedule II if he finds that the substance: (1) has high potential for abuse; (2) has currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, or currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions; and (3) abuse may lead to severe psychic or physical dependence.
b. The controlled dangerous substances listed in this section are included in Schedule II, subject to any revision and republishing by the director pursuant to subsection d. of section 3 of P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-3), and except to the extent provided in any other schedule.
c. Any of the following substances except those narcotic drugs listed in other schedules whether produced directly or indirectly by extraction from substances of vegetable origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis, or by combination of extraction and chemical synthesis:
(1) Opium and opiate, and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of opium or opiate.
(2) Any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof which is chemically equivalent or identical with any of the substances referred to in clause 1, except that these substances shall not include the isoquinaline alkaloids of opium.
(3) Opium poppy and poppy straw.
(4) Coca leaves and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of coca leaves, and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation thereof which is chemically equivalent or identical with any of these substances, except that the substances shall not include decocainized coca leaves or extractions which do not contain cocaine or ecogine.
d. Any of the following opiates, including their isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters and ethers, unless specifically excepted, whenever the existence of such isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible within the specific chemical designation:
(1) Alphaprodine
(2) Anileridine
(3) Bezitramide
(4) Dihydrocodeine
(5) Diphenoxylate
(6) Fentanyl
(7) Isomethadone
(8) Levomethorphan
(9) Levorphanol
(10) Metazocine
(11) Methadone
(12) Methadone–Intermediate, 4-cyano-2-dimethylamino-4, 4-diphenyl butane
(13) Moramide–Intermediate, 2-methyl-3-morpholino-1, 1-diphenyl-propane-carboxylic acid
(14) Pethidine
(15) Pethidine–Intermediate–A, 4-cyano-1-methyl-4-phenylpiperidine
(16) Pethidine–Intermediate–B, ethyl-4-phenylpiperidine-4-carboxylate
(17) Pethidine–Intermediate–C, 1-methyl-4-phenylpiperidine-4-carboxylic acid
(18) Phenazocine
(19) Piminodine
(20) Racemethorphan
(21) Racemorphan

Schedule III Drugs in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 24:21-7

a. The director shall place a substance in Schedule III if he finds that the substance: (1) has a potential for abuse less than the substances listed in Schedules I and II; (2) has currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and (3) abuse may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
b. The controlled dangerous substances listed in this section are included in Schedule III, subject to any revision and republishing by the director pursuant to subsection d. of section 3 of P.L.1970, c.226 (C.24:21-3), and except to the extent provided in any other schedule.
c. Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity of the following substances associated with a stimulant effect on the central nervous system:
(1) Amphetamine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of its optical isomers.
(2) Phenmetrazine and its salts.
(3) Any substance which contains any quantity of methamphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers.
(4) Methylphenidate.
d. Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity of the following substances having a potential for abuse associated with a depressant effect on the central nervous system:
(1) Any substance which contains any quantity of a derivative of barbituric acid, or any salt of a derivative of barbituric acid, except those substances which are specifically listed in other schedules
(2) Chlorhexadol
(3) Glutethimide
(4) Lysergic acid
(5) Lysergic acid amide
(6) Methyprylon
(7) Phencyclidine
(8) Sulfondiethylmethane
(9) Sulfonethylmethane
(10) Sulfonmethane
(11) Ketamine hydrochloride.
e. Nalorphine.
f. Any material, compound, mixture, or preparation containing limited quantities of any of the following narcotic drugs, or any salts thereof:
(1) Not more than 1.80 grams of codeine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or not more than 90 milligrams per dosage unit, with an equal or greater quantity of an isoquinoline alkaloid of opium.
(2) Not more than 1.80 grams of codeine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or not more than 90 milligrams per dosage unit, with one or more active, nonnarcotic ingredients in recognized therapeutic amounts.
(3) Not more than 300 milligrams of dihydrocodeinone or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or not more than 15 milligrams per dosage unit, with a four-fold or greater quantity of an isoquinoline alkaloid of opium.
(4) Not more than 300 milligrams of dihydrocodeinone or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or not more than 15 milligrams per dosage unit, with one or more active, nonnarcotic ingredients in recognized therapeutic amounts.
(5) Not more than 1.80 grams of dihydrocodeine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or not more than 90 milligrams per dosage unit, with one or more active, nonnarcotic ingredients in recognized therapeutic amounts.
(6) Not more than 300 milligrams of ethylmorphine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or not more than 15 milligrams per dosage unit, with one or more active, nonnarcotic ingredients in recognized therapeutic amounts.
(7) Not more than 500 milligrams of opium or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams, or not more than 25 milligrams per dosage unit, with one or more active, nonnarcotic ingredients in recognized therapeutic amounts.
(8) Not more than 50 milligrams of morphine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams with one or more active, nonnarcotic ingredients in recognized therapeutic amounts.
g. The director may by regulation except any compound, mixture, or preparation containing any stimulant or depressant substance listed in subsections c. and d. of this schedule from the application of all or any part of this act if the compound, mixture, or preparation contains one or more active medicinal ingredients not having a stimulant or depressant effect on the central nervous system; provided, that such admixtures shall be included therein in such combinations, quantity, proportion, or concentration as to vitiate the potential for abuse of the substances which do have a stimulant or depressant effect on the central nervous system.

Schedule IV Drugs in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 24:21-8

a. The director shall place a substance in Schedule IV if he finds that the substance: (1) has low potential for abuse relative to the substances listed in Schedule III; (2) has currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and (3) may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the substances listed in Schedule III.
b. The controlled dangerous substances listed in this section are included in Schedule IV.
c. Any material, compound, mixture or preparation which contains any quantity of the following substances having a potential for abuse associated with a depressant effect on the central nervous system:
(1) Barbital
(2) Chloral betaine
(3) Chloral hydrate
(4) Ethchlorovynol
(5) Ethinamate
(6) Methohexital
(7) Meprobamate
(8) Methylphenobarbital
(9) Paraldehyde
(10) Petrichloral
(11) Phenobarbital.
d. The director may except by rule any compound, mixture, or preparation containing any depressant substance listed in subsection c. from the application of all or any part of this act if the compound, mixture or preparation contains one or more active medicinal ingredients not having a depressant effect on the central nervous system, and if the admixtures are included therein in combinations, quantity, proportion or concentration that vitiate the potential for abuse of the substances which have a depressant effect on the central nervous system.

Schedule V Drugs in New Jersey: N.J.S.A. 24:21-8.1

a. The director shall place a substance in Schedule V if he finds that the substance: (1) has low potential for abuse relative to the substances listed in Schedule IV; (2) has currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States; and (3) has limited physical dependence or psychological dependence liability relative to the substances listed in Schedule IV.
b. The controlled dangerous substances listed in this section are included in Schedule V.
c. Any compound, mixture, or preparation containing limited quantities of any of the following narcotic drugs, which also contains one or more nonnarcotic active medicinal ingredients in sufficient proportion to confer upon the compound, mixture, or preparation, valuable medicinal qualities other than those possessed by the narcotic drug alone:
(1) Not more than 200 milligrams of codeine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams;
(2) Not more than 100 milligrams of dihydrocodeine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams;
(3) Not more than 50 milligrams of ethylmorphine or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams;
(4) Not more than 2.5 milligrams of diphenoxylate and not less than 25 micrograms of atropine sulfate per dosage unit;
(5) Not more than 100 milligrams of opium or any of its salts per 100 milliliters or per 100 grams.

Free Consultation with a Newark Drug Lawyer

Call the Tormey Law Firm today to speak with an experienced criminal defense lawyer about your drug possession or distribution case. You can reach us day or night at 201-654-3464 to arrange an in-person meeting at our office in Newark.

 

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