Controlled drugs in the UK explained: classes, schedules and prescription rules

A controlled drug is a medicine or substance that the law restricts because it can be misused or cause harm. Controlled drugs UK-wide are placed in Class A, B or C under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which sets the criminal penalties. Separate regulations then put each drug in Schedule 1 to 5, which sets the rules for prescribing, dispensing, storing and travelling with it.

What is a controlled drug?

Most prescription-only medicines are regulated mainly for safety and quality. Controlled drugs have an extra layer of law on top. That is because they can cause dependence, or be diverted and misused.

Two sets of rules work together. The Act gives each drug a class. The regulations give each drug a schedule. So one medicine usually has both a class and a schedule, and the two numbers or letters do not always line up.

This guide describes the rules in England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own regulations, so check with your pharmacist there if you are unsure.

Classes A, B and C: the criminal law

Under section 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, a Class A, B or C drug is any substance listed in Part I, II or III of Schedule 2 to the Act. The class mainly decides how serious an offence is.

The GOV.UK drugs penalties page sets out the maximum sentences:

Class	Examples GOV.UK lists	Possession	Supply and production
Class A	Heroin, cocaine, methadone	Up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both	Up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both
Class B	Cannabis, codeine, methylphenidate (Ritalin)	Up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both	Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both
Class C	Benzodiazepines (diazepam), anabolic steroids	Up to 2 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both	Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both

Notice that some everyday medicines appear here. Codeine and methadone have real medical uses, yet they sit in the same classes as illegal drugs. Having a controlled medicine prescribed for you is lawful. Passing it to anyone else counts as supply, so never share or give away your medicine.

Schedules 1 to 5: the rules for medicines

The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 sort controlled drugs into five schedules. Each schedule switches on a different set of legal requirements. Schedule 1 has the most, and Schedule 5 has the fewest.

Schedule	What it means in practice
Schedule 1	The tightest controls. GOV.UK says Schedule 1 drugs cannot be brought into the UK without a licence in any circumstances.
Schedule 2	Strict prescription, collection and record-keeping rules. Example: tapentadol.
Schedule 3	Strict prescription rules, with some record and storage rules. Example: tramadol.
Schedule 4 Part 1	Fewer requirements, but the prescription still expires after 28 days. Example: zopiclone.
Schedule 4 Part 2	As Part 1, but excepted from the ban on possession.
Schedule 5	The lightest controls. Excepted from the import, export and possession bans, apart from nitrous oxide.

Where tapentadol, tramadol and zopiclone fit

These three medicines show how class and schedule work separately.

• Tapentadol is a strong opioid painkiller. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2011 added it to Class A. The 2011 amendment regulations placed it in Schedule 2.
• Tramadol is also an opioid painkiller. It became a Class C drug on 10 June 2014 and went into Schedule 3. The government’s explanatory memorandum notes it was exempted from the safe custody rules.
• Zopiclone is a sleeping tablet. The same 2014 changes made it Class C and placed it in Part 1 of Schedule 4, alongside zaleplon.

So tapentadol and tramadol are both opioids, but they sit in different classes and schedules. Our tapentadol vs tramadol comparison explains how they also differ in the way they work. If you take pain medicine long term, the chronic pain hub explains the wider NHS support available.

Prescription rules you will notice as a patient

Your prescription expires after 28 days

The NHS Business Services Authority says prescriptions for Schedule 2, 3 and 4 controlled drugs are only valid for 28 days. Most other NHS prescriptions last 6 months. The 28 days count from the date the prescriber signed it, or a later start date they wrote on it.

This rule comes from regulation 16 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. After 28 days, the pharmacy cannot dispense it and you will need a new prescription.

Repeat prescriptions

Schedule 2 and 3 drugs cannot go on repeat dispensing prescriptions. Schedule 4 drugs can, but the first supply must happen within 28 days. Schedule 5 medicines follow the normal 6-month window.

What the prescription must show

For Schedule 2 and 3 drugs, regulation 15 sets extra rules. The prescription must include:

• your name and address
• the dose to take
• the form and, where relevant, the strength
• the total quantity, written in both words and figures
• the prescriber’s signature and the date

If something is missing, the pharmacist may have to send it back to your prescriber. This is a legal requirement, not the pharmacy being difficult.

Collecting your medicine

For a Schedule 2 drug, the person supplying it must find out who is collecting it. They may ask to see identification. Allow extra time and take ID if someone else is collecting for you.

Running out

Under regulation 225 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, a pharmacist can sometimes make an emergency supply at your request. For Schedule 4 or 5 controlled drugs, the law limits this to five days’ treatment. The pharmacist must interview you and agree there is an immediate need. For any controlled medicine, order your next prescription from your prescriber in good time.

Controlled medicines and driving

The GOV.UK drug-driving guidance says it is illegal in England, Scotland and Wales to drive with legal drugs in your body if they impair your driving. GOV.UK asks you to talk to your doctor about driving if you are prescribed certain medicines. Its list includes diazepam, methadone, morphine and opioid-based drugs such as codeine, tramadol and fentanyl.

You can drive if you were prescribed the medicine, followed your healthcare professional’s advice, and it is not making you unfit to drive. If you are convicted, penalties include:

• a minimum 1-year driving ban
• an unlimited fine
• up to 6 months in prison
• a criminal record, with the conviction shown on your licence for 11 years

Some medicines affect you the next morning. The NHS advises that you should not drive, ride a bike or use machinery for 12 hours after taking zopiclone. The law does not cover Northern Ireland, but you can still be arrested there if you are unfit to drive.

Travelling abroad with controlled drugs

The GOV.UK guide to taking medicine in or out of the UK sets out the basics:

1. Carry medicine containing a controlled drug in your hand luggage when you leave or enter the UK.
2. Be ready to prove it is yours with your prescription or a letter from your doctor.
3. Check the rules of the country you are visiting with its embassy before you go. Some countries restrict medicines that are routine in the UK.

Visitors bringing medicine into the UK can carry up to 3 months’ supply. Any more, or medicine posted to them, will be taken away. Their letter must show their name, travel dates, each medicine with the amount, dose and strength, and the prescriber’s signature.

The Home Office guidance on travelling with controlled drugs says people with exceptional needs should contact the Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit 1 month before travel. If you are a UK resident planning a long trip, ask your prescriber and the unit early about what you need.

This article is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Read our medical disclaimer.