Editing Controlled Substances Act (section)

===Schedule III===
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{{Main|List of Schedule III drugs (US)}}

Schedule III substances are those that have the following findings:

{{blockquote|1=
{{ordered list|type=A
 |The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in Schedules I and II.
 |The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
 |Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.<ref name="cornell1"/>
}}}}

Except when dispensed directly by a practitioner, other than a pharmacist, to an ultimate user, no controlled substance in Schedule III or IV, which is a prescription drug as determined under the [[Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act]] (21 USC 301 ''et seq.''), may be dispensed without a written, electronically transmitted, or oral prescription in conformity with section 503(b) of that Act (21 USC 353 (b)). Such prescriptions may not be filled or refilled more than six months after the date thereof or be refilled more than five times after the date of the prescription unless renewed by the practitioner.<ref name="cornell2"/>

A prescription for controlled substances in Schedules III, IV, and V issued by a practitioner, may be communicated either orally, in writing, electronically transmitted or by facsimile to the pharmacist, and may be refilled if so authorized on the prescription or by call-in.<ref name="deadiversion.usdoj.gov"/> Control of wholesale distribution is somewhat less stringent than Schedule II drugs. Provisions for emergency situations are less restrictive within the "closed system" of the Controlled Substances Act than for Schedule II though no schedule has provisions to address circumstances where the closed system is unavailable, nonfunctioning or otherwise inadequate.

Drugs in this schedule include:
* [[Ketamine]], a drug originally developed as a safer, shorter-acting replacement for [[Phencyclidine|PCP]] (mainly for use as a human anesthetic) but has since become popular as a veterinary and pediatric anesthetic;
* [[Anabolic steroid]]s (including [[prohormone]]s such as [[androstenedione]]); the specific end molecule [[Testosterone (medication)|testosterone]] in many of its forms (Androderm, AndroGel, Testosterone Cypionate, and Testosterone Enanthate) are labeled as Schedule III while low-dose testosterone when compounded with estrogen derivatives have been exempted (from scheduling) by the FDA<ref>Exempt Anabolic Steroids (21 CFR § 1308.33 and 21 CFR § 1308.34) February 5, 2015, Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control Drug and Chemical Evaluation Section</ref>
* Intermediate-acting [[barbiturate]]s, such as [[talbutal]] or [[butalbital]]
* [[Buprenorphine]] (semi-synthetic opioid; active in [[Suboxone]], [[Subutex]])
* [[Dihydrocodeine]] when compounded with other substances, to a certain dosage and concentration.
* FDA-approved [[sodium oxybate]] products (e.g. Xyrem, Xywav and Lumryz)—preparations of [[gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid|GHB]] used to treat [[narcolepsy]]. These products are in Schedule III but with a [[Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies|restricted distribution system]]. All other forms or preparations of GHB are in Schedule I.
* [[Tetrahydrocannabinol|Marinol]], synthetically prepared [[tetrahydrocannabinol]] (officially referred to by its [[International Nonproprietary Name|INN]], [[tetrahydrocannabinol|dronabinol]]) used to treat [[nausea]] and [[vomiting]] caused by [[chemotherapy]], as well as [[Anorexia (symptom)|appetite loss]] caused by [[AIDS]].
* [[Paregoric]], an [[antidiarrheal]] and [[anti-tussive]], which contains [[opium]] combined with [[camphor]] (which makes it less addiction-prone than [[laudanum]], which is in Schedule II).
* [[Phendimetrazine]] Tartrate, a stimulant synthesized for use as an [[anorexiant]].
* [[Benzphetamine]] HCl (Didrex), a stimulant designed for use as an [[anorexiant]].
* Fast-acting barbiturates such as [[secobarbital]] (Seconal) and [[pentobarbital]] (Nembutal), when combined with one or more additional active ingredient(s) not in Schedule II (e.g., Carbrital (no longer marketed), a combination of pentobarbital and [[carbromal]]).
* [[Ergine]] (lysergic acid amide), listed as a sedative but also has psychedelic effects such as visual and auditory effects.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Halpern | first1 = J.H. | year = 2004 | title = Hallucinogens and dissociative agents naturally growing in the United States | journal = Pharmacology & Therapeutics | volume = 102 | issue = 2| pages = 131–138 | doi=10.1016/j.pharmthera.2004.03.003 | pmid=15163594| s2cid = 30734515 }}</ref><ref>Schultes, R.E. and Hofmann, A., 1980. ''The botany and chemistry of hallucinogens'', Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL.</ref> An inefficient precursor to its ''N'', ''N''-diethyl analogue, [[Lysergic acid diethylamide|LSD]], ergine occurs naturally in the seeds of the common garden flowers ''[[Turbina corymbosa]]'', ''[[Ipomoea tricolor]]'', and ''[[Argyreia nervosa]]''.
* [[Perampanel]] (Fycompa), an [[anticonvulsant]]
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{{anchor|Schedule IV drugs}}